The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The goal is to expand cooperation in supervising collective investment scheme managers across their jurisdictions. The agreement focuses on consultation, information sharing, and closer alignment of regulatory practices. The MoU was formalised during the 10th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, where it was included in an official signing ceremony attended by Hong Kong authorities and officials from both regulators.
According to representatives from the DFSA, the framework is intended to provide firms with clearer regulatory expectations when engaging in cross-border investment or advisory activity between the two markets.
Framework for information exchange
The document sets out a structured approach for cooperation, covering governance standards, compliance requirements, and supervisory practices. It builds on joint initiatives undertaken over the past year, including high-level meetings and a roundtable with asset managers in Hong Kong.
Officials from the DFSA noted that the initiative reflects efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight in order to support global capital flows between Dubai and Hong Kong. They emphasised that the new framework is expected to help investment managers operate across both markets with greater certainty.
Representatives from the SFC highlighted that the closer partnership with the DFSA is part of wider efforts to deepen regional connectivity. They added that Hong Kong’s position as a financial centre on the China–Middle East corridor makes regulatory cooperation an important tool for sustaining cross-border investment activity.
The agreement underlines a trend of financial regulators in Asia and the Middle East pursuing stronger cross-border links, particularly in areas tied to international asset management and investment services.
