UBO Hong Kong Hong Kong UBO: Significant Controllers Register, Rules & Verification
Overview
Beneficial ownership in Hong Kong at a glance
Hong Kong companies keep their own Significant Controllers Register. It is not filed centrally.
See Overview
Rules
Thresholds, filing and access
More than 25% of shares or votes, board appointment rights or significant control.
See Rules
FAQs
Common Hong Kong UBO questions
Answers on the SCR, public shareholder data and verifying Hong Kong UBOs.
See FAQs
Resources
Guides and updates
Insights on beneficial ownership and verification in Hong Kong.
See ResourcesBeneficial Ownership in Hong Kong A Company-Kept Register of Significant Controllers
Since 1 March 2018, companies incorporated in Hong Kong must keep a Significant Controllers Register (SCR) under Part 12 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). The register is kept by the company at its registered office or a prescribed place, and is not filed with the Companies Registry.
The SCR is available to law enforcement officers on demand but is not open to the public. For third parties, the main public ownership source is the list of members filed in the company’s annual return with the Companies Registry. Because the SCR may record an upper-tier legal entity as well as individuals, structures running through offshore holding companies still need to be traced layer by layer.
Hong Kong UBO Rules How Beneficial Ownership Works in Hong Kong
More Than 25%
A person or entity holding more than 25% of shares or voting rights is a significant controller.
Control Tests
Significant control also includes the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or exercising significant influence or control.
Who Must Keep It
Hong Kong-incorporated companies, including companies re-domiciled to Hong Kong. Listed companies are exempt.
Kept by the Company
The SCR is held by the company, not filed with the Companies Registry, and must be produced to law enforcement on request.
Public Shareholder Data
Members are listed in the annual return filed with the Companies Registry, giving a public view of legal ownership.
Verification Challenges
Third parties cannot access the SCR directly, and ownership chains through BVI or Cayman companies need separate tracing.
Hong Kong UBO FAQs Beneficial Ownership in Hong Kong: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hong Kong have a beneficial ownership register?
Hong Kong companies must keep a Significant Controllers Register (SCR). It is kept by the company itself rather than filed centrally with the Companies Registry.
What is a significant controller in Hong Kong?
A person or entity holding more than 25% of shares or voting rights, having the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or exercising significant influence or control.
Is the Hong Kong SCR public?
No. The register must be made available to law enforcement officers on demand, but it is not open to public inspection.
How can I find the shareholders of a Hong Kong company?
Members are listed in the company’s annual return filed with the Companies Registry, which can be searched and ordered through Companies Registry services.
Why is UBO tracing harder for Hong Kong companies?
Many Hong Kong companies are owned through offshore holding companies, and the SCR may name an upper-tier entity rather than the individuals behind it, so the full chain must be traced separately.
How does AsiaVerify support UBO checks in Hong Kong?
AsiaVerify retrieves official Companies Registry records, including available shareholder information, and helps map ownership through holding structures alongside screening and monitoring.
How do I verify a Hong Kong company itself?
Start with entity verification. See our KYB in Hong Kong page for registries, identifiers and documents.
Hong Kong UBO Resources Beneficial Ownership Insights, Explained
Read more about KYB Doesn’t Stop at Onboarding: What Regulators Expect After a Merchant Is Approved
What Is pKYB? Perpetual KYB vs pKYC and Periodic Review
pKYB starts a review when a company's registry record changes. Ficoal Dong explains how that differs from pKYC and periodic review, and why the trigger matters.
Read MoreNearly 1 in 7 Monitored APAC Companies Recorded Corporate Changes Within Two Months, AsiaVerify Index Finds
AsiaVerify's APAC Corporate Monitoring Index found 14.8% of monitored companies changed within two months, some within two days. See the early findings.
Read MoreUBO Hong Kong Solutions How AsiaVerify Supports UBO Checks in Hong Kong
Registry-Sourced Ownership Data
Retrieve available shareholder information from official Companies Registry filings, including annual returns, to see who holds a Hong Kong company on record.
Ownership Mapping
Trace available ownership through Hong Kong and regional holding companies to identify the natural persons behind the structure, where data supports it.
Owner Screening and Official Documents
Screen companies and their available owners against sanctions and adverse media sources, with PEP checks on individual owners, and retrieve available official documents with English translation where supported.
API, Portal and Perpetual KYB
Run UBO checks through the AsiaVerify API or Portal, and use Perpetual KYB to surface supported ownership and officer changes after onboarding. Coverage varies by market.
From Sydney to Shanghai APAC Coverage You Can Trust
UBO in Hong Kong Need to Know Who Owns a Hong Kong Company?
More on Hong Kong
4 guides, insights and updates covering verification in this market.