Hong Kong heirs ditch property for tech

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In focus

• ​​Why tech is in and real estate is out for HK family offices
• ​​A look in our archives at family office investments in SEA
• Xiaomi’s EV deliveries hit a high

Hello reader,

Hong Kong’s IPO market is set to have a record-breaking year.

The market could potentially raise about US$63.7 billion of IPO proceeds by the end of 2026, according to estimates from professional services giant KPMG.

Over the years, Hong Kong has become an attractive IPO destination for Chinese tech firms as it serves as a gateway for global investors to participate in their fundraising.

Hong Kong is close enough to mainland China to allay the concerns of regulators, yet it remains open enough to foreign investors who want to access the growing Chinese AI industry.

In our top story today, we look at how even traditional family offices in Hong Kong have ventured into tech investments even as the local real estate market – a known favorite of this investor base – is booming.

The reason for the switch-up isn’t surprising. A new generation of leaders is taking charge of these traditional family offices, and they want to invest in tech – a sector they grew up with. And for many, holding shares in the hottest AI startup is more prestigious than owning a building down the street.

Elyssa Lopez, journalist

Top Story

Why Hong Kong’s next-gen wealth is shifting from property to tech

Image credit: Ulla

Guest writer Sean Greenhalgh, co-founder and CEO of Angelflow, has seen significantly more interest in tech investments via his own platform. Unsusprisingly, AI leads the charge.

For founders seeking to take advantage of this shift, he says they need a clear plan for making it to the public markets to entice these investors. Ten-year holds are not something a family office scion wants to hear about.

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