Media365
According to The Global Financial Centres Index 38, Hong Kong ranks third among the world’s leading financial centres this year, behind New York and London. These top-tier hubs form the backbone of global finance, linking investors, banks and markets through systems that allow capital to move safely and efficiently.
Hong Kong’s position among them rests not only in its open market and strategic location, but also in the strength of its financial infrastructure. Behind the city’s stock and bond markets are institutions that ensure trades settle accurately and securely, as the invisible machinery that keeps global finance moving.
Connecting Hong Kong to global markets
Euroclear serves as one of the key cogs in this machinery. A financial market infrastructure provider headquartered in Belgium, it is one of only two international central securities depositories (ICSDs) operating in the world, forming part of the critical infrastructure that supports global financial markets.
As an ICSD, Euroclear acts like a digital vault and settlement system for cross-border securities trading, forming part of the framework of modern investment banking. If a bank in Asia buys a bond issued by the French government, Euroclear can handle the custody and settlement – that is just one example of how global market infrastructure operates behind the scenes. For companies like Euroclear, Hong Kong’s strong regulatory framework and international connectivity make it a vital base to have in Asia.
“Hong Kong has always been one of the strategic hubs for investors as the gateway to China,” says Philippe Laurensy, Euroclear’s Asia-Pacific CEO. “We see huge opportunities here, including new collaborations that connect international issuers and investors with regional markets.”
