Zhongyuan Mortgage: Hong Kong's new building mortgage registrations in January increased by 60.5%, reaching a 31-month high.

Wang Meifeng, General Manager of Central Plains Mortgage, stated that according to research department data, there were 7,852 registrations of existing property mortgages in January 2026, representing a 60.5% increase compared to the previous month. This sets a new record high in the past 31 months since June 2023 (8,096 registrations). The increase in mortgage registrations was driven by the active property market in the fourth quarter of last year, as well as an increase in registrations for new projects and subsidized housing units entering the market. Approximately 1,900 registrations were recorded for projects such as private estates SIERRA SEA1B, SIERRA SEA1A(2), SUNRISE KOWLOON12A SEASONS PLACE, and LANDMARK PEAK, while around 1,500 registrations were recorded for subsidized housing units at ON LEE GARDEN and ON WO GARDEN. In January 2026, there were 379 registrations for new property mortgages, representing a 26.8% increase from the previous month. In terms of market share, BOC HONG KONG (02388) topped the list for existing property mortgage market share in January 2026, maintaining its position as the market leader for 16 consecutive months. HSBC Bank took the top spot for new property mortgage market share, moving up a notch in the rankings. Wang Meifeng pointed out that the property market in 2025 benefited from an increase in overall demand, active trading, and improved market confidence. With interest rates currently at a low level, coupled with zero interest deposits and high rental returns, there has been a successful influx of funds into the property market, driving up mortgage registrations. It is expected that these positive factors will continue this year. Additionally, the positive outlook of the stock market is expected to continue to release wealth effects. Banks are taking a positive stance on property mortgages this year, and it is anticipated that the property market will remain active, maintaining an upward trajectory and driving continuous growth in mortgage loans and registrations. According to data from the Central Plains Mortgage Research Department, in January 2026, the market share of existing property mortgages for the top four banks combined increased by 5.3 percentage points to 76.3%. BOC HONG KONG saw an increase of 5 percentage points to 31.4% in market share; HSBC Bank saw a decrease of 1.3 percentage points to 22.7%, maintaining its position as the 2nd highest; HANG SENG BANK saw an increase of 4.8 percentage points to 14.0%, moving up a rank to 3rd; STANDARD CHARTERED BANK saw a decrease of 3.2 percentage points to 8.2%, dropping to 4th place. In terms of market share for new property mortgages in January 2026, HSBC Bank saw an increase of 6.5 percentage points to 26.9%, with 102 registrations, reclaiming the top spot in market share. BOC HONG KONG saw a decrease of 3.4 percentage points to 23.7%, falling to 2nd place; HANG SENG BANK saw a decrease of 2.1 percentage points to 11.3%, maintaining its position as 3rd; BANKCOMM (Hong Kong) saw an increase of 3.6 percentage points to 11.3%, moving up 3 ranks to tie with HSBC; STANDARD CHARTERED BANK saw an increase of 1.2 percentage points to 10.6%, dropping to 5th place.