Hong Kong SFC approves six companies as securities registrars, effective from the implementation of the uncertificated securities market regime

On 12 October, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) approved six companies as approved securities registrars, namely Boardroom Securities Registration Limited, Hong Kong Central Securities Registration Limited, Securities Registration Limited, Hong Kong Managers and Secretaries Limited, Tricor Securities Registration Limited, and Union Securities Registration Limited. The approvals will take effect from the implementation of the uncertificated securities market regime on 16 November 2026. At the same time, all of the above companies have been approved to continue providing the securities registrar services they currently provide. Among the six approved securities registrars, Hong Kong Central Securities Registration Limited and Tricor Securities Registration Limited have been approved to provide services related to the uncertificated securities market and will become the first approved securities registrars able to provide such services. The SFC will review and consider other applications in due course. After the implementation of the uncertificated securities market regime, listed issuers of prescribed securities must at all times appoint an approved securities registrar to maintain their registers of holders. If a listing applicant's securities are listed in uncertificated form after 16 November 2026, it must appoint an approved securities registrar approved to provide services related to the uncertificated securities market. Existing issuers must participate in the new regime within five years. Therefore, listing applicants and existing issuers should continue to liaise with their respective securities registrars to prepare for participation in the uncertificated securities market regime.