Hong Kong — Precious Metals Gateway
Hong Kong has historically been one of Asia's leading precious metals trading centres, connecting China, the Middle East, India and global bullion markets. International entrepreneurs establish Hong Kong companies for gold trading, jewellery businesses, precious metals sourcing, import/export, investment holding and regional trading operations. The appropriate structure depends on trading model, source countries, customers, banking requirements, compliance obligations and tax considerations.
The core trading structure — with DPMS registration, AML screening and customs compliance at every leg.
Quick answer
Quick answer
For gold and jewellery businesses trading with China, sourcing across Asia, or connecting UAE and Indian markets to Asian buyers — yes, Hong Kong offers one of the world's most established precious metals ecosystems. It is a regulated, transparent jurisdiction: dealer registration, beneficial ownership disclosure, AML compliance, audited accounts, customs declarations and tax filing all apply. It is not a secret offshore or tax-free structure, and anyone selling it as one is misleading you.
We do not market Hong Kong as a secret offshore company, a tax-free gold company, an anonymous trading structure or a guaranteed tax exemption. Hong Kong requires company registration, beneficial ownership disclosure, AML compliance, proper accounting, audit, tax filing, customs compliance and sanctions screening. Every rate, registration category and treatment on this page is confirmed against official sources before we advise.
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Tell us your gold business type, trading countries, business model and banking requirements — get an indicative structure recommendation with the compliance, AML, banking and tax reviews your setup needs.
Your gold business profile
Trading connections (select all that apply)
Why Hong Kong
A global precious metals hub, China gateway, jewellery manufacturing ecosystem, financial centre and strategic location between the Middle East, India, China and Southeast Asia.
Global precious metals hub
One of Asia's longest-established gold markets — the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society has operated for over a century, alongside deep spot and physical trading infrastructure, vaulting and assay services.
China gateway
Direct proximity to Mainland China's jewellery manufacturing base and consumer demand, with Hong Kong operating as the international trade and settlement layer.
Jewellery ecosystem
Manufacturers, gemstone suppliers, wholesale markets and world-scale trade shows (Hong Kong International Jewellery Show) concentrated in one city.
Financial centre
International banks, trade finance desks, free-flowing foreign currency and no exchange controls — supported by mature legal, audit and insurance services.
Strategic location
A working corridor between UAE gold markets, Indian jewellery demand, Chinese manufacturing and Southeast Asian buyers, with air freight connectivity for high-value cargo.
Structures
The private limited company is the standard vehicle; branch and holding structures serve specific cases. Shareholders, directors, a Hong Kong company secretary, registered office and annual compliance apply to every company.
Hong Kong private limited company
The standard vehicle for gold trading, jewellery trading and import/export. Requires at least one shareholder, one individual director, a Hong Kong company secretary and a registered office. No minimum capital, 100% foreign ownership permitted — with full beneficial ownership disclosure via the Significant Controllers Register.
Branch office (registered non-Hong Kong company)
A foreign gold or jewellery company registering its existing entity to operate in Hong Kong. The parent stays liable and parent-level documents are filed — most traders prefer a subsidiary for ring-fencing.
Holding company structure
A Hong Kong holding company above trading subsidiaries or metal-holding entities — used for group ownership, investment holding and regional structures. Substance and management location decide the tax outcome, not the registered address.
Business models
Bullion trading, jewellery trading, import/export and investment holding each carry a different documentation, logistics and compliance profile.
Bullion trading company
Wholesale gold bars and institutional bullion trading — supplier verification, assay documentation, chain-of-custody records and sanctions screening sit at the centre of the model.
Gold import/export company
Physical gold moving supplier country → Hong Kong company → buyer country. Customs declarations, accurate tariff classification and complete shipping documentation are mandatory at each leg.
Jewellery trading company
Sourcing, wholesale and export of finished jewellery — plugging into Hong Kong's manufacturing ecosystem, gemstone suppliers, wholesale markets and international exhibitions.
Jewellery manufacturing
Production or contract manufacturing with Mainland China facilities — bonded logistics, processing trade arrangements and quality certification all need structuring.
Diamond & gemstone trading
Kimberley Process certification for rough diamonds, gemstone certification and the same AML/dealer registration obligations as gold.
Precious metals investment holding
Holding physical metal or metal-linked investments — storage, insurance, valuation policy and the trading-versus-holding tax boundary need documenting from day one.
Gold brokerage / intermediation
Earning commission connecting buyers and sellers — contract documentation and where the service is actually performed drive the tax analysis.
Online gold trading / retail
Consumer-facing models add consumer protection, payment provider and platform compliance on top of dealer registration.
Supply chain
Every leg of the chain needs source verification, responsible sourcing documentation, AML checks and sanctions screening — the file is built before the first shipment, because banks, auditors and regulators all test it.
Chain-of-custody documentation must be complete at every arrow — origin, assay, transport, customs and payment.
Source verification
Licensed exporter status in the origin country, assay certificates, and evidence the gold is what and where the documents say it is.
Responsible sourcing
Supply chain due diligence aligned to OECD guidance — conflict-minerals risk assessment, supplier due diligence and refinery standards.
AML checks
Customer due diligence on miners, exporters, refiners, dealers, wholesalers, jewellery companies and investors — plus shareholders, directors and UBOs on your own side.
Sanctions screening
Suppliers, customers, banks and shipping routes screened against applicable sanctions lists as a permanent operating control.
Setup process
Incorporation is the fast part. DPMS registration, the AML programme, the sourcing file and banking set the real timeline.
Structure and compliance design
Trading model, source countries, customers, banking needs and the DPMS registration category are decided before incorporation — not after.
Company incorporation
Name check, incorporation with the Companies Registry and Business Registration — typically days, and never the bottleneck.
Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones (DPMS) registration
Carrying on a precious metals/stones dealing business in Hong Kong requires registration with the Customs and Excise Department; transactions at or above the prescribed threshold trigger Category B registration with fit-and-proper vetting. Verified against current C&ED requirements before filing.
AML/CFT programme
Customer due diligence, UBO identification, sanctions and PEP screening, record keeping and suspicious transaction reporting procedures — banks ask for this before onboarding.
Responsible sourcing framework
Supply chain due diligence aligned to OECD guidance: source verification, conflict-minerals risk assessment, supplier documentation and refinery standards.
Bank account opening
The slowest step for gold traders. Business model evidence, contracts, source-of-goods documentation, AML programme and UBO chain are reviewed in depth — no approval is ever guaranteed.
Customs and logistics setup
Import/export declarations within the statutory window, secure logistics, vaulting and insurance arrangements.
Accounting, audit and tax filing
Multi-unit metal inventory accounting from day one, annual audited financial statements by a Hong Kong CPA, profits tax return and employer's return filings.
Compliance
What a Hong Kong gold company must actually maintain — from company registration and customs declarations to AML, sanctions and responsible sourcing.
Company registration
Companies Registry incorporation, Business Registration Certificate, annual return and a maintained Significant Controllers Register identifying all beneficial owners.
DPMS registration
Registration with Customs and Excise under the precious metals and stones dealer regime, at the category matching your transaction profile — confirmed against current requirements before you trade.
Customs declarations
Import and export declarations for gold shipments within the statutory lodgement window, accurate valuation and classification, and re-export documentation where applicable.
AML/CFT obligations
Customer due diligence, enhanced due diligence for higher-risk counterparties, record keeping, and suspicious transaction reports to the JFIU.
Sanctions compliance
Screening of suppliers, customers, banks and shipping routes against applicable sanctions lists — a permanent operating control, not a one-time check.
Responsible sourcing
Documented supply chain due diligence, source verification and conflict-minerals risk management aligned to OECD due diligence guidance.
Accounting and audit
Proper books including metal quantity ledgers, annual statutory audit, profits tax return with audited accounts.
Gold Trader AML Screening — powered by MyAML
Our MyAML platform screens your suppliers (miners, exporters, refiners, dealers), customers (wholesalers, jewellery companies, investors) and your own shareholders, directors and UBOs — sanctions lists, PEP status, adverse media and risk scoring, with the audit trail banks and regulators expect from a precious metals dealer.
Tax
Hong Kong taxes profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong — the territorial source principle. Whether your trading profit is Hong Kong-sourced is a question of fact, assessed against where contracts are made, decisions are taken and operations occur.
Buying and selling locations
Where purchase and sale contracts are actually negotiated and concluded — for trading profits this is usually the dominant factor.
Trading decisions
Where pricing, hedging and deal decisions are genuinely made, by whom, and the evidence trail proving it.
Management location
Where directors and decision-makers sit — a Hong Kong company run entirely from Dubai or Mumbai faces both offshore-claim scrutiny and home-country tax residence risk.
Warehouse and logistics
Where the metal is stored, processed and shipped — physical operations weigh into the source analysis.
Banking and settlement
Where trade finance is arranged and settlement occurs — supporting evidence, though not decisive alone.
Contracts and documentation
The written record decides offshore claims — the IRD can query a claim years after filing, and reconstructed evidence rarely survives review.
We never promise "0% tax automatically." Offshore-profit claims must be substantiated with contemporaneous evidence and are assessed by the Inland Revenue Department — sometimes years after filing. Two-tiered profits tax rates, the FSIE regime for group entities and every treatment we advise on are maintained in our verified Hong Kong gold tax rules database and confirmed against IRD sources before advising. Read the full profits tax guide and offshore profit claim guide.
Cross-border structures
The three corridors we structure most — each with the reviews that decide whether the structure works, on both sides.
Dubai gold trader opening a Hong Kong company
UAE Corporate Tax
Whether the Hong Kong company's profits fall within UAE CT scope through management and control from the UAE, and the founder's free zone / mainland position.
Hong Kong profits tax
Source analysis on the actual trade flows — no offshore outcome is assumed; the two-tiered rates and FSIE interaction are confirmed from verified rules.
Transfer pricing
Arm's-length pricing between the UAE and Hong Kong entities with documentation on both sides.
Substance
Real people, decisions and records in the jurisdiction claiming the profit — both the UAE and Hong Kong test this.
Banking
Hong Kong banks review UAE gold-sector counterparties closely; complete sourcing and AML files materially improve the outcome.
Hong Kong company supplying the Dubai gold market
UAE import regulations
UAE customs procedures, gold import documentation and any applicable duty positions — verified current before shipment.
UAE VAT
The UAE VAT treatment of investment precious metals and jewellery differs by product and transaction type — never assumed, always confirmed per shipment profile.
AML on both sides
UAE AMLD/goAML obligations for dealers in precious metals meet Hong Kong DPMS obligations — both files must reconcile.
Documentation
Assay certificates, invoices, certificates of origin and transport documents matching across both jurisdictions.
Indian jewellery business using a Hong Kong trading company
India customs
Gold import into India is tightly controlled — duty rates, authorised import channels and nominated agency rules are confirmed current before any structure is built around them.
FEMA / ODI rules
How an Indian resident may lawfully fund and own a foreign company, the approved remittance route, and annual reporting on the Indian side.
POEM risk
A Hong Kong company effectively managed from India can be treated as an Indian tax resident — board process and decision location are design decisions.
India–Hong Kong DTAA
Treaty relief depends on residence, beneficial ownership and the principal purpose test — never automatic.
Transfer pricing
Related-party gold and jewellery flows between India and Hong Kong require arm's-length pricing and Indian TP documentation.
Comparison
They serve different corridors — Dubai dominates Middle East and Africa flows, Hong Kong dominates the China corridor. Many established traders run both, with real substance in each.
| Factor | Hong Kong | Dubai / UAE |
|---|---|---|
| China access | Direct — the primary gateway for Mainland trade and settlement | Good — established China trade lanes, but at distance |
| Middle East / Africa access | Good — via established corridors | Excellent — the region's dominant gold hub |
| Gold market depth | Long-established exchange and physical market | Global hub — DMCC ecosystem, refineries, souk demand |
| Banking | Strong international banks; intensive gold-sector due diligence | Strong; equally intensive due diligence for gold traders |
| Jewellery trade | Manufacturing ecosystem plus world-scale trade shows | Major wholesale and retail jewellery centre |
| Tax system | Territorial profits tax — source is a question of fact, verified per structure | UAE Corporate Tax with free zone regimes — conditions apply, verified per structure |
| Regulation | High — DPMS registration, AML, audit, customs | High — AMLD registration, goAML, audit, customs |
| Factor | Hong Kong | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Trading ecosystem | Deep physical gold and jewellery market with China settlement role | Strong bullion hub ambitions; established vaulting and refining (metalor, etc.) |
| Banking | Strong; gold-sector onboarding is demanding | Strong; equally demanding for precious metals |
| China access | Direct gateway | At distance — Southeast Asia is the natural strength |
| Indirect tax on gold | No VAT/GST in Hong Kong | GST applies, with an exemption regime for qualifying investment precious metals — conditions verified per product |
| Logistics | World-class air cargo for high-value shipments | World-class port and air hub |
| Regulation | DPMS registration, AML, annual audit | PSMD registration under Singapore's precious metals dealer regime, AML, audit |
Banking & trade finance
Banks review your business model, gold source, customers, transaction volume, AML controls, UBO chain and contracts — more intensively than almost any other sector. We prepare the file; we never guarantee approval.
Gold trading banking readiness check
Banks review gold traders more intensively than almost any other sector: business model, gold source, customers, transaction volumes, AML controls, UBO chain and contracts. This indicative check shows where your file stands before you approach a bank.
Letters of credit
Documentary LCs for gold shipments — document precision decides payment, and discrepancies are expensive at gold values.
Bank guarantees
Performance and payment guarantees supporting supplier and buyer relationships.
Inventory finance
Financing against vaulted metal — allocated storage, insurance and independent verification are preconditions.
Commodity finance
Transactional trade finance lines for established traders with audited history and hedging policy.
Accounting & audit
Metal businesses need accounting built for the industry — and every Hong Kong company needs an annual statutory audit that will test it.
Precious metals accounting — powered by FinaBooks
Audit requirements for Hong Kong gold companies
Every Hong Kong incorporated company must prepare annual financial statements audited by a Hong Kong CPA (Practising) and file them with the profits tax return. For gold companies the audit goes further: physical existence verification of metal inventory, purity and weight reconciliation, valuation and price-movement cut-off testing, and consignment stock treatment. Banks, trade finance providers and investors frequently require more than the statutory minimum. The current requirements are maintained in our verified Hong Kong gold audit rules database — see the audit and compliance guide.
Costs
Indicative setup and annual running costs for a gold trading company — formation, secretary, registered address, DPMS support, AML system, accounting, audit, banking support and compliance.
Hong Kong gold company setup cost calculator
Select the services you need. Statutory items are always included. Ranges are indicative in USD — a fixed quote follows the structure review, and government fees change with official fee schedules.
Indicative setup cost
$1,700 – $3,500
Indicative annual cost
$4,550 – $13,200
Excludes trade finance costs, vaulting, insurance, logistics and licences specific to your products. Audit fees scale with transaction volume and inventory complexity. Nothing here is a quotation.
FAQ
Enquiry
Routed directly to our Precious Metals Advisory Team — with your trading model, source countries, connections and banking requirements captured for a grounded first conversation.
Official sources this page is verified against
Licensing categories, thresholds, customs procedures and tax treatments change. Every rule we rely on carries an effective date, an official source and reviewer sign-off in our rules database, and is re-verified before we advise on your specific facts.
Gold & precious metals guides
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