[18 July 2025, Hong Kong] – The inauguration ceremony of the inaugural Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX) and the 115th-anniversary celebration banquet of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society (CGSE) were grandly held was officiated by Mr. John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), who reiterated the government’s support for Hong Kong’s financial development.

Strategic MOUs Signed: Five landmark agreements inked during the ceremony:

I. International Hub Cooperation MOU

HKGX drives Asian gold ecosystem with Hong Kong, Macau, and Cambodia:

China CITIC Bank International (CNCBI):

- Provides multi-currency settlement services between HKGX and its members.

- Offers dedicated offshore RMB channels to support HKGX’s RMB kilobar contracts.

Ant Bank (Macau):

- To sell gold products via its Alipay (Macau) app, directly linked to HKGX’s e-platform.

- HKGX provides full support for trading, settlement, storage, and physical delivery to Alipay users.

Cambodia Derivatives Exchange (CDX):

- Comprehensive strategic cooperation between Hong Kong and Cambodia’s gold markets.

- Promotes market connectivity and development through mutual standards recognition, market promotion, and quality assurance.

II. Greater Bay Area Integration MOU

Shenzhen United Financial Holdings & Gold Jun Services:

- Establishes a gold supply chain platform integrating trading, settlement, storage, data, and logistics.

- Delivers cost-efficient gold circulation for Hong Kong.

Guangdong Gold Association:

- Leverages Hong Kong’s global hub status and Guangdong’s gold/jewelry industry strength.

The development of digital gold commenced in 2018. Its launch was announced in 2019, followed by the product's introduction in Singapore in 2022.

October 24, 2018 President Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, President of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, toured the Qianhai Shekou Area of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone. He was accompanied by Dr. Haywood Cheung, Chairman of the CGSE, along with other Hong Kong business representatives.

On June 29, 2017, Hong Kong reached an agreement with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) to jointly develop the Hong Kong gold market, marking a breakthrough in the century old gold industry. Feng Weineng, CEO of the Gold and Silver Trading Company, and Xu Zhengyu, Managing Director and Head of the Market Development Department of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on behalf of the company.

On June 5, 2017, an agreement was reached with the Singapore Precious Metals Market Association (SBMA) to jointly develop and sign a Memorandum of Cooperation.

On March 30, 2017, the Hong Kong Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Myanmar Chambers of Commerce (UMFCCI), and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Government of the Union of Myanmar visited Hong Kong and signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.

On December 12, 2016, an agreement was reached with the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) to jointly develop Hong Kong; A historic new chapter in the interconnectivity of Dubai's commodity markets will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre with the Dubai Gold and Commodity Exchange; Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Cooperation

April 22, 2016; The Cambodian Securities and Commodities Exchange delegation visited Hong Kong to understand the operation of spot gold trading in Hong Kong and establish bilateral contacts.

Launched the RMB Kilobar Gold, the world's first offshore Renminbi-denominated gold product.

To mark its centenary, the Exchange honored its legacy while setting the stage for continued reform and development. Several key initiatives were launched, including: 1,A registration system for precious metals practitioners.2,The establishment of a Precious Metals Verification Center.

To advance electronic trading, an e-trading platform was launched in Hong Kong on March 28, 2008, introducing products such as London Gold and London Silver.

At the time, the Board of Directors and Supervisors proposed to then Financial Secretary Donald Tsang the need for an international gold depository in Hong Kong. After assuming office as Chief Executive, Donald Tsang promptly approved the initiative, leading to the establishment of the Airport Gold Vault, which officially opened in 2009.

Then-Chairman Mr. Fung Chi-kin served as an advisor to the Shanghai Gold Exchange, introducing the membership system and the Gold T+D (deferred trading) mechanism, helping to establish the foundation of the exchange. On October 30, 2002, the Shanghai Gold Exchange officially commenced operations.

The Hong Kong Linked Exchange Rate System was implemented on October 17, 1983, stabilizing the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate within a range of HK$7.75 to HK$7.85 per US dollar. Leveraging the price of London gold to arbitrage against the USD exchange rate, a 24-hour trading cycle emerged across New York, London, and Hong Kong—ushering in the golden era of Hong Kong’s gold market."

Upon the completion of the new building, Financial Secretary Sir Philip Haddon-Cave was invited to officiate at the opening ceremony.

The Gold and Silver Securities Exchange (commonly known as the 'Gold and Silver Exchange') stood alongside three other stock exchanges—namely, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange ('Hong Kong Exchange'), the Far East Exchange ('Far East Exchange'), and the Kowloon Stock Exchange ('Kowloon Exchange'). In 1986, the four exchanges were merged to form the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX).

The premises were upgraded from a simple arcade-style building to a three-storey structure.

As the number of members increased and the original premises became inadequate, the Exchange relocated to No. 248 Des Voeux Road Central. Several additional banks joined as members, and the organization was renamed the 'Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society'.

The organization was formally established under the name 'Gold and Silver Exchange', with a basic charter drafted at the time.

In the early days, money changers and banks handling foreign exchange across various ports pooled their resources to lease the premises at 197 Des Voeux Road Central.