The two-day main conference of the Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2025 concluded today.
Running from November 3 to 4, the event brought together government officials, regulators, fintech innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders from around the world for a series of forward-looking panels, keynote speeches and policy discussions.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of both Hong Kong FinTech Week and the StartmeupHK Festival, a testament to Hong Kong’s commitment to advancing the digital economy and strengthening its position as a global centre for fintech and startup growth.
Officiating at the opening of the main conference, Chief Executive John Lee said: “Hong Kong is made for collaboration and built for innovation – for companies, entrepreneurs, investors and professionals.”
In this year’s World Investment Report, Hong Kong moved up to third place overall in foreign direct investment inflows. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s fundraising achievements at initial public offerings underlined the city’s revitalised status as the world’s premier listing and capital-raising venue.
Mr Lee highlighted: “These and other international kudos reflect Hong Kong’s status as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’. We help to link the markets from China, our country, with those around the globe. We help startups go from local prototypes to global success.”
At a panel discussion, Financial Secretary Paul Chan shared his views on Hong Kong’s strategic vision for financial innovation, emphasising the vast potential of digitalisation as well as the role of the city’s regulators in enabling this.
Separately, in a keynote speech on day two, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau noted that over the past decade, Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem nearly tripled to 4,700, showing a year-on-year increase of 10%.
“The city’s entrepreneurial spirit, global connectivity and cross-border synergies make it a fertile ground for innovative ideas to grow and industries to transform,” Mr Yau remarked.
The integration of the StartmeupHK Festival with Hong Kong FinTech Week this year created a mega platform for entrepreneurs and investors to connect. Startups across Asia, the Chinese Mainland, Europe and the Middle East joined pitching sessions, venture showcases and ecosystem dialogues, enabling direct engagement with global venture capital and corporate innovation teams. The main conference featured 11 themed forums, spanning topics from artificial intelligence, digital assets, healthtech to innovation.
Affiliated events will be held across the city through November 7.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs detects one incoming passenger drug trafficking case at airport (with photo) The case involved a 20-year-old female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Rome, Italy, via Taipei today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 25kg of suspected ketamine in total from 13 tinfoil bags inside her check-in suitcase with an estimated market value of about $11.3 million. The woman was subsequently arrested.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 21:00
Four new features have been added to the 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline from today, namely WhatsApp support, multi-language support, a scheduled call-back service, and additional optional services, with a view to enhancing mental health support for the public.
WhatsApp support
Mindful modern communication habits, the 18111 hotline now offers WhatsApp support, allowing users to send instant messages and receive immediate online support from trained staff.
The Health Bureau said this feature caters to younger people and anyone hesitant to make a phone call. It also enables citizens with hearing or speech impairments to seek assistance in a more convenient manner, thereby enhancing the hotline’s accessibility.
Multi-language support
In addition to Cantonese, Mandarin and English, the hotline now supports nine other languages, namely Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Punjabi, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Bengali, and Thai.
Scheduled call-back
Users can request a call via phone, voicemail or WhatsApp. Staff will contact them at a scheduled time.
Additional optional services
Citizens can also receive information on support services and stress management techniques. Via the “Real People Library” function, they can listen to recordings of people in recovery talking about ways to cope with difficult situations and how to seek help. Available via voice navigation or WhatsApp, these additional services give users instant access to supporting information and advice.
Officiating at the “18111 Mental Health Support Hotline: the New Features Launch Ceremony” today, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said: “Drawing on 22 months of operational experience of the 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline, we have introduced four new features for the Hotline to respond to various needs of the public, offering more thoughtful, convenient, and comprehensive emotional support to the public.
“Should any member of the public be in mental distress or have mental health needs, I encourage them to call the Hotline to seek appropriate support.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Filipino male jailed for conspiracy to defraud During a previous investigation into a case relating to overstaying former foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) who were taking up unapproved employment in Hong Kong, the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency of the Immigration Department (ImmD) detected a syndicate using false instruments to apply for FDH working visas. Upon intelligence analysis, investigators identified the target person and mounted a series of operations from May to July 2023. During the operations, over 60 persons were arrested. Under caution, the Filipino male (defendant) admitted, for the purpose of receiving a monetary reward, to have conspired with others to obtain FDH visas to work in Hong Kong illegally through the use of false residential and financial proof, as well as false FDH contracts. The defendant, later charged with conspiracy to defraud, pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment by the District Court today.
Twenty-six other arrested persons were also convicted earlier for offences such as conspiracy to defraud and making false representation to an immigration officer, and were sentenced to up to 15 months’ imprisonment. More suspects could be arrested and prosecuted as the investigation is continuing.
“It is an offence to make a false representation to an immigration officer. Offenders are liable to prosecution and to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. In addition, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy to defraud is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years. Furthermore, it is an offence to make, possess or use false instruments. Upon conviction, offenders are liable to a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment,” an ImmD spokesman said.
The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Sha Tin today (November 4) in which a man died.
At around 8.16am, a private car driven by a 50-year-old man was passing through Yi Shing Square, where it scraped a taxi parking nearby. The car then turned right to Yuen Chau Kok Road, where it suspectedly went out of control and knocked down a 50-year-old male rehabilitation bus driver who was at the rear of the rehabilitation bus. The rehabilitation bus driver was trapped between the private car and his rehabilitation bus.
Police officers sped to the scene. The rehabilitation bus driver was rescued by firemen. Sustaining serious multiple injuries, he was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 9.13am.
The private car driver was injured and sent to Prince of Wales Hospital in conscious state. He was arrested for careless driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report after an accident and dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for enquiries.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South is underway.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1346.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
With a stronger than normal upper-air anticyclone covering southern China and cooler air from the north only reaching the coast of southern China later in the month, October 2025 was exceptionally warm in Hong Kong. The monthly mean temperature of 27.4 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 25.6 degrees were both the highest on record for October. Moreover, the monthly mean maximum temperature of 29.9 degrees was the second highest on record. There were also in total seven hot nights including four consecutive hot nights that started from October 16, and four very hot days in the month, all breaking records for October. The month was also much drier than usual with a total rainfall of 31.2 millimetres, only about 26 per cent of the normal of 120.3 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall this year up to October was 2 545.2 millimetres, about 8 per cent above the normal of 2 363.1 millimetres for the same period.
Under the influence of an anticyclone aloft, the local weather was generally fine and very hot on the first three days of the month. The maximum temperature at the Observatory rose to 33.6 degrees on the afternoon of October 1, the highest of the month. Moreover, Matmo formed as a tropical depression over the seas east of the Philippines on October 1. It moved west-northwestwards across Luzon, edged closer to the coast of Guangdong and progressively intensified into a typhoon in the following three days. Matmo made landfall over the Leizhou Peninsula on the afternoon of October 5. It then moved across the inland areas of Guangxi and the northern part of Vietnam and progressively weakened into an area of low pressure in the next two days. Locally, the weather remained mainly fine at first and very hot on October 4. With the approach of Matmo, local winds strengthened in the afternoon. Winds were generally strong, once reaching gale force offshore and on high ground that afternoon and the next day. The weather turned cloudy with a few squally showers and violent gusts. There were also thunderstorms on October 4. More than 10 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 40 millimetres over parts of Lantau Island on October 5. Although it was mainly cloudy with one or two showers at first the next day, there were sunny intervals during the day as Matmo departed.
Dominated by an anticyclone aloft, apart from a few showers, it was generally fine and very hot from October 7 to 11. The maximum temperature at the Observatory rose to 33.1 degrees on October 8, the hottest Cold Dew on record. With a broad trough of low pressure edging closer to the coast of Guangdong, the weather of Hong Kong turned mainly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms on October 12, with more than 20 millimetres of rainfall recorded over Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island. A waterspout was also spotted near Lamma Island in the afternoon. The broad trough of low pressure continued to affect the coast of Guangdong in the next two days. Locally, there were showers and thunderstorms on the morning of October 14, with more than 20 millimetres of rainfall recorded over parts of the northern New Territories. With the anticyclone aloft strengthening again over southern China, apart from a few showers, the local weather turned generally fine on the afternoon of October 14 and remained so in the following five days. It was very hot on October 18 and 19. The minimum temperature recorded at the Observatory on October 19 was 28.2 degrees, making it the latest hot night of a year on record.
As well, Fengshen formed as a tropical depression over the seas east of the Philippines on the morning of October 17. It then tracked generally west-northwestwards across the central part of the Philippines and entered the central part of the South China Sea in the following two days. It intensified into a severe tropical storm and edged closer to the coast of Guangdong on October 20. It turned to move west-southwestwards across the seas south of Hainan Island and weakened progressively in the next three days. Meanwhile, an intense northeast monsoon affected southern China on October 20. Locally, winds were strong offshore. Under the combined effect of Fengshen and the intense northeast monsoon, the local winds were generally strong on October 21, occasionally reaching gale force on high ground. The outer rainbands of Fengshen also brought cloudy weather and a few rain patches to the territory. It was appreciably cooler on October 22, with temperatures over most parts of the territory in the afternoon around 15 degrees lower than those on October 19. Moreover, the temperature at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 18.2 degrees on October 22, the lowest of the month. Under the continuous influence of the monsoon and a broad band of clouds covering southern China, the weather remained generally cloudy with a few rain patches during the following six days. With the band of clouds thinning out, there were sunny periods on October 25 and 26. Affected by an easterly airstream, it was mainly cloudy with one or two rain patches on October 29 and 30. With the moderation of the easterly airstream, there were sunny periods on the last day of the month.
Four tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in October 2025.
Details of issuances and cancellations of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for October are tabulated in Table 2.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is holding the International Conference and Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index (PCII) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) from today (November 4) to November 6. The event aims to introduce the developments and applications of the PCII, provide training, and strengthen technical exchange and collaboration among professional bodies in this field from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas.
The EPD, drawing on the latest international practices, has successfully developed a biological indicator, the PCII, to address and manage nutrient enrichment in coastal and estuarine waters. The developments and applications of the PCII and the associated study findings were reviewed by academic scholars and published in an international scientific journal in February 2024.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, highlighted that the Conference aims to create a platform for sharing and promoting the latest developments and applications of the PCII and other relevant biological indicators, so as to provide useful reference for the future development of ecologically based assessment methods on evaluating eutrophication risks and assessing ecological impacts, and to further enhance co-operation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Chinese Mainland in marine ecological environment protection, in order to achieve the target of jointly building the Greater Bay Area into a world-class beautiful bay area.
Two phytoplankton experts from the Scottish Association for Marine Science in the United Kingdom were invited to present on the theory and operation mechanism of the PCII, as well as the relevant biological indices and evaluation approaches recently developed and applied internationally (e.g. in the European Union). Chinese Mainland representatives in attendance came from the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the World Sustainable Development Institute, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province, and the Ecology Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality. Participants from Hong Kong included representatives from government officials and academic sectors such as the EPD, the Agricultural Fisheries and Conservation Department, the HKUST, the City University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
The PCII provides an objective and scientific assessment on coastal eutrophication as it analyses the impact of nutrient levels on phytoplankton communities in marine ecosystems. The PCII can be used to supplement traditional nutrient water quality standards with key indicators of ecological or biological responses, thus improving the assessment of eutrophication risks in coastal and estuarine waters and better promoting pollution control in a precise and scientific manner. This enhances the cost-effectiveness of managing eutrophication. The EPD has already adopted the PCII to assess the eutrophication status of marine waters. For more information on the PCII and relevant monitoring data, please refer to the EPD’s dedicated website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/hkwqrc/waterquality/phy_mon.html) and the annual report on Marine Water Quality Report in Hong Kong in 2024 (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/sites/default/files/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/hkwqrc/files/waterquality/annual-report/marinereport2024.pdf).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
A man was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for operating an employment agency (EA) without a valid licence in violation of the requirements under Part XII of the Employment Ordinance (EO). The man was convicted at Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (November 4) and was fined $10,000.
In February 2025, the LD received a complaint against a man from an employer of a foreign domestic helper. As subsequent investigations indicated sufficient evidence that the man was operating an EA without a valid licence, the LD took out prosecution against him.
All establishments or persons operating a business in Hong Kong for the purpose of obtaining employment for another person or supplying personnel to an employer are governed by Part XII of the EO and the Employment Agency Regulations. Irrespective of the mode of operation or the types of jobs involved, all EAs must obtain a licence issued by the LD before undertaking any EA activities. Except for the EA licence holder or his/her associates, no one shall operate, manage or assist in the management of an EA. Offenders may face prosecution.
The LD reminds EAs to operate in full compliance with the law as well as the Code of Practice for EAs at all times. Failure to do so may lead to prosecution and/or revocation of licence. The maximum penalty for the offences of unlicensed operation of an EA or overcharging commissions from job seekers is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
Should there be enquiries about matters related to EAs or complaints about suspected violations of EAs, please contact the Employment Agencies Administration of the LD (telephone: 2115 3667; email: ea-ee@labour.gov.hk; address: Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon).