The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) is poised to open on Monday, 26 January 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), positioning itself as the first major international financial event of the year and a premier platform for global economic dialogue and cooperation. Co-organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the two-day forum will bring together financial officials, business leaders, investors and economic policymakers from around the world to examine emerging trends, global risks, and opportunities for collaboration amid a rapidly changing financial landscape.
Under this year’s theme, “Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape,” the AFF will run over 26–27 January 2026 and is expected to attract more than 3,600 participants from over 60 countries and regions, including top executives from major financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, regulatory leaders, and decision-makers keen to shape economic strategy and invest in future growth sectors.
One of the standout features of the 2026 AFF is the inaugural Global Business Summit, scheduled for the forum’s second day. This new addition highlights the deepening integration of finance with the real economy — an essential narrative in a year marked by supply-chain realignments, technological disruption, and post-pandemic economic recovery efforts. The summit is designed to facilitate constructive engagement between investors, corporate leaders and innovators, with discussions that extend beyond traditional banking topics to cover practical economic development and industrial strategy.
In addition to high-level panel discussions and keynote speeches, delegates will explore critical topics ranging from global economic outlooks and asset and wealth management to trade finance, supply-chain finance, pension and endowment funds, fintech innovation, and gold exchange mechanisms — a particularly notable subject for Hong Kong’s strategic economic positioning this year.
Indeed, Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub — often described as a “superconnector” between Mainland China and global markets — is expected to be a recurring theme. Local officials and forum organisers have emphasised how the city’s financial infrastructure facilitates cross-border investment and supports Mainland enterprises in expanding internationally, while offering foreign companies access to Asian markets.
A particularly newsworthy development associated with the AFF will be a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on gold market development, which is set to be signed during the forum. This agreement between the Hong Kong government and the Shanghai Gold Exchange aims to establish a joint gold ecosystem and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a central hub in global bullion trading. Financial leaders believe this will enhance price discovery and trading connectivity, further cementing the city’s strategic financial role.
The forum’s expanded agenda also reflects broader economic priorities under China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasises the integration of financial services with the real economy to boost productivity and attract strategic global investment. Discussions are expected to span how to enhance stock markets, offshore renminbi usage, bond and money markets, green finance, technological innovation, commodities trading, and international wealth management services.
Speakers at AFF 2026 include a mix of global financial heavyweights, regulatory leaders and corporate executives. Confirmed participants are expected to include senior figures such as CEOs of international banks, executives from global investment firms, central bank representatives, and senior officials from supranational institutions. These discussions will offer insight into shifting macroeconomic dynamics and create opportunities for cross-border partnerships and deal-making.
The Asian Financial Forum’s expansive format — featuring plenary dialogues, thematic workshops, networking luncheons, and deal-making sessions — underscores its role as a key event on the global financial calendar. It provides a forum where thought leaders translate economic theory into real strategies, where investors identify emerging possibilities, and where policymakers debate the future of global capital markets.
As Hong Kong prepares to host this year’s AFF, global finance observers and industry executives alike are watching closely. The outcomes of the forum’s discussions could influence investor confidence, shape sector trajectories, and reinforce Hong Kong’s continuing importance as a global financial centre amid shifting economic currents in 2026.
