The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) welcomes the plan of Manulife (International) Limited (Manulife) to expand its investment and operations in Hong Kong.
The announcement follows the firm’s re-domiciliation to the city in December 2025. The expansion plan includes an increase in artificial intelligence (AI) investment and the posting of its chief artificial intelligence officer for Asia to Hong Kong.
The FSTB notes that this move demonstrates confidence in Hong Kong as an international financial centre and a hub for AI development.
Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, says: “Manulife's AI investment expansion plan will help drive digital transformation and innovation application in the insurance industry, showcasing Hong Kong's regional leadership in the 'finance + AI' field.”
He adds: “Following the re-domiciliation, Manulife's posting of a key senior position related to AI to Hong Kong, coupled with plans to enhance investment in AI research, development and application, reaffirms the city's strategic importance within the group's global business portfolio and will surely inject new momentum into the local fintech ecosystem.”
The Hong Kong government’s 2026-27 Budget explicitly proposes building an ecosystem conducive to AI applications. This aligns with the policy statement of the FSTB on the responsible application of AI in the financial market, which was issued in October 2024.
The government and regulators have highlighted recent achievements in attracting insurance industry investment. This includes the Insurance Authority announcing on 3 March the grant of authorisation to a captive insurer set up in Hong Kong by the China National Nuclear Corporation.
There are currently seven captive insurers in Hong Kong.
