How to choose a trust company in Hong Kong for your wealth planning (Updated June 2025)
As the financial hub of Asia, Hong Kong's trust industry has become the core position of wealth management for high-net-worth clients and multinational companies around the world with its common law system, cross-border asset allocation advantages and innovative technology empowerment. By 2025, the asset size of Hong Kong's trust market will exceed HK$5.18 trillion, an increase of more than 10% in three years. Regulatory reforms and the wave of digitalization are reshaping the industry landscape. Against this background, the top ten trust institutions have built competitive barriers through differentiated services, and their business models reflect the three major trends in the industry in the future: technology-driven efficiency revolution, explosive demand for offshore structures, and deep professional development in subdivided fields.
Hong Kong’s robust legal framework, tax efficiency, and strategic position as a global financial hub make it a premier trust jurisdiction for asset protection and intergenerational wealth transfer. Key benefits include:
- Perpetual Duration: Since the 2013 Trust Law Amendment, Hong Kong allows trusts to exist indefinitely—unlike Singapore’s 100-year limit—enabling enduring wealth preservation 115.
- Zero Tax Leverage: No capital gains, inheritance, or offshore income taxes for non-resident settlors 815. Profits from foreign-sourced dividends remain untaxed.
- Asset Shielding: Trust assets are legally separated from personal estates, protecting against creditors and forced heirship claims under Hong Kong’s Fraudulent Dispositions Ordinance 113.
- Web3 Integration: Hong Kong’s Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licensing provides a regulated framework for crypto and NFT trusts—critical for digital wealth 15.
| Trust Company | Services | Compliance | Technological Innovation | Internationalization | Market Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGA Trust | Accepting digital asset custody, cross-border payment service, asset-linked credit cards. | Licensed TCSP, complies with HKMA and international AML/CTF regulations. | Blockchain, AI, data analytics, fintech-driven. | Hong Kong headquarters, covering Singapore, Dubai and other low-tax regions. | High-net-worth clients, Web3 industry, tech-driven wealth management. |
| HSBC Institutional Trust Services | Traditional private banking, family office, wealth planning, and employee share plans; comprehensive and diversified services. | Top-tier global compliance with banking and TCSP licenses, regulated by multiple jurisdictions; extremely high compliance. | Uses digital platforms but leans traditional in innovation, prioritizing stability over cutting-edge. | Extensive global network with a focus on Asia; highest level of internationalization | Ultra-high-net-worth clients, backed by comprehensive banking support; high-end and broad positioning. |
| Trident Trust | Trust and corporate services, tax compliance, and asset protection; steady and professional service scope. | Licensed TCSP, focused on AML/CTF compliance; high but traditional compliance. | Digital compliance tools; moderate innovation. | Strong global network with a focus on Asia; high internationalization. | Mid-to-high-end clients, compliance-driven services; steady and widely applicable positioning. |
| Timothy Loh Corporate Services | Private trust company setup, family trusts, asset protection. | Licensed TCSP, focused on legal compliance. | Limited technology application, traditional services. | Hong Kong local and some international clients. | High-net-worth families, legal structure focus. |
| UBS Trust Solutions | Trust management, wealth succession, and investment advisory; high-end and comprehensive services. | Trust management, wealth succession, and investment advisory; high-end and comprehensive services. | Uses digital wealth management platforms. | Extensive global network with a focus on Asia; highest internationalization. | Ultra-high-net-worth clients, backed by banking support; high-end and stable positioning. |
| Trust Company | FGA Trust |
|---|---|
| Services | Accepting digital asset custody, cross-border payment service, asset-linked credit cards. |
| Compliance | Licensed TCSP, complies with HKMA and international AML/CTF regulations. |
| Technological Innovation | Blockchain, AI, data analytics, fintech-driven. |
| Internationalization | Hong Kong headquarters, covering Singapore, Dubai and other low-tax regions. |
| Market Positioning | High-net-worth clients, Web3 industry, tech-driven wealth management. |
| Trust Company | HSBC Institutional Trust Services |
|---|---|
| Services | Traditional private banking, family office, wealth planning, and employee share plans; comprehensive and diversified services. |
| Compliance | Top-tier global compliance with banking and TCSP licenses, regulated by multiple jurisdictions; extremely high compliance. |
| Technological Innovation | Uses digital platforms but leans traditional in innovation, prioritizing stability over cutting-edge. |
| Internationalization | Extensive global network with a focus on Asia; highest level of internationalization |
| Market Positioning | Ultra-high-net-worth clients, backed by comprehensive banking support; high-end and broad positioning. |
| Trust Company | Trident Trust |
|---|---|
| Services | Trust and corporate services, tax compliance, and asset protection; steady and professional service scope. |
| Compliance | Licensed TCSP, focused on AML/CTF compliance; high but traditional compliance. |
| Technological Innovation | Digital compliance tools; moderate innovation. |
| Internationalization | Strong global network with a focus on Asia; high internationalization. |
| Market Positioning | Mid-to-high-end clients, compliance-driven services; steady and widely applicable positioning. |
| Trust Company | Timothy Loh Corporate Services |
|---|---|
| Services | Private trust company setup, family trusts, asset protection. |
| Compliance | Licensed TCSP, focused on legal compliance. |
| Technological Innovation | Limited technology application, traditional services. |
| Internationalization | Hong Kong local and some international clients. |
| Market Positioning | High-net-worth families, legal structure focus. |
| Trust Company | UBS Trust Solutions |
|---|---|
| Services | Trust management, wealth succession, and investment advisory; high-end and comprehensive services. |
| Compliance | Trust management, wealth succession, and investment advisory; high-end and comprehensive services. |
| Technological Innovation | Uses digital wealth management platforms. |
| Internationalization | Extensive global network with a focus on Asia; highest internationalization. |
| Market Positioning | Ultra-high-net-worth clients, backed by banking support; high-end and stable positioning. |
Updated June 2025
Hong Kong offers high-net-worth individuals premier wealth preservation through tax efficiency, with zero capital gains and zero estate taxes for non-residents, perpetual trust duration, and robust asset protection under its common law system. When selecting a trust provider, prioritize five criteria: service scope ( FGA offers support in Web3 assets custodian, while traditional banks tend to exclude them); compliance (opt for SFC-regulated entities with TCSP licenses); asset flexibility; global reach of capital flow; and fee transparency.
Hong Kong's trust market grew by 10% from 2021 to 2023, with assets held under trusts reaching HK$5,188 billion (US$667 billion). Furthermore, the digital banking sector, a component of the broader digital trust landscape, saw a 74% YoY increase in deposits in 2024. The increasing adoption of digital solutions, coupled with regulatory developments enhancing investor confidence, is driving this growth. Under such circumstances, choosing a Web3-ready provider like FGA—backed by AI-driven compliance and global partnerships—is essential for future-proof wealth management.