What is the Hong Kong Gold and Silver Exchange License?
The Hong Kong Gold and Silver Trade Center license (or membership qualification) is usually used to carry outphysical precious metalsand related spot trading business，The core value is to enhance counterparty trust、Connect to the on-site ecology and form a higher standard of compliance endorsement。For the proposed gold development in Hong Kong、B2B organization for silver spot business，It is recommended to simultaneously evaluate whether linkage is needed Hong Kong Customs Precious Metals Type A License，Avoid the structural risk of “having trading qualifications but incomplete business licenses”。
Big core changes：Transformation from "Trade Market" to "Hong Kong Gold Exchange" Exchange name and restructuring：The former Hong Kong Gold and Silver Exchange (CGSE) has been 2024 The historic restructuring was completed in，And since 2025 Year 1 moon 1 From，Officially launch the new brand——Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX)Undertake all functions。
If the enterprise also provides legal currency receipt and payment、Cross-border settlementordigital assetsRelated services，It should also be assessed with Hong Kong VASP License、Hong Kong banking license path regulatory boundaries。
Application Eligibility and Enterprise Structure Requirements
Full disclosure of actual controller required、Funding sources and historical compliance records；Complex multi-layer offshore structures require additional penetration instructions。
Core management personnel should have experience in precious metals or financial industries，and be able to undertake internal control、Risk control and compliance responsibilities。
It is recommended to configure actual office space in Hong Kong、Job responsibility matrix and traceable business processes，Enhance review pass rate。
Complete customer stratification before application、Transaction monitoring、suspicious report、Establishment of sanctions screening and record keeping system。
For cross-border group customers，Hong Kong Xintong usually completes the three steps of "business activity dismantling - regulatory mapping - entity implementation"。If your business also involvesoffshore capital poolandtax planning，Can be combined Offshore tax optimization and Offshore private banking services integrated planning，Reduce subsequent restructuring costs。
Standard application process and cycle management
Clarify the business model、Customer source、Product Boundaries and High-Risk Country Exposures，Draw feasibility conclusions。
Complete Hong Kong Company、Equity structure、Director appointment、Office and job configuration。
Prepare AML/KYC manual、Customer Risk Rating、Transaction monitoring and internal audit mechanism。
Follow up with supplementary documents after submitting the application、Inquiry responses and necessary interviews。
Complete pre-opening inspection、Contract template review、Ongoing compliance and regular training。
Membership shell price budget (reference)
Since the total number of memberships (licenses) of the Hong Kong Gold and Silver Exchange (now fully transformed into the Hong Kong Gold Exchange HKGX) in the secondary market is fixed at 192 indivual，Its acquisition price is entirely determined by market supply and demand。
Table 1：Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX/CGSE) secondary market "Membership Shell Price" market estimate table
(Note：The price of the shell depends on whether it comes with a ready-made and compliant bank account、Electronic trading system and flawless audit records)
| License type | Estimate market price (HKD) | Core exhibition rights andCompliance riskillustrate |
|---|---|---|
| Class AA*(Full-featured top brand) | 180Ten thousand – 3.5 million | highest authority。Can operate London gold/silver、99gold、All electronic trading and physical gold bar transactions such as RMB kilogram bars。 |
| A1 / Category A2*(Standard electronic disk) | 100Thousand – 1.8 million | Permitted to operate London gold/silver electronic trading，Physical gold bar trading permissions are limited。 |
| Class C(Pure electronic trading) | 60Thousand – 1 million | Electronic trading only，No physical gold settlement rights。 |
| ⚠️ Category D(No business sign) | No acquisition value | Compliance red line：Belongs to "dead card"，It is currently impossible to reactivate the exhibition business。 |
| ⚠️ Class S(Temporarily closed) | Highly not recommended | Compliance red line：Often accompanied by serious breaches or customer debt disputes，Extremely difficult to get re-examined by the exchange。 |
Table 2：Official transfer and review fee list
(Some of the information you provided has been professionally corrected in accordance with current legal and regulatory requirements.)
| Expense items | Official fees (HKD) | Legal and Compliance Practice Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ordinary bank employee transfer fee | $110,000(Correction according to law) | Pay to the exchange when submitting membership change application，No refund will be given regardless of whether the application is approved or not.。 |
| 2. Financial Group Member Transfer Fee | $165,000(Correction according to law) | If the AA company acquired also has the qualification of "Standard Gold Group" as a gold casting/refining merchant，This transfer fee standard applies。 |
| 3. Prepay the first month’s monthly clerk fee | $3,000 | When handling transfer procedures, prepayment must be made to the exchange in accordance with the law.。 |
| 4. Senior management suitability review fee | about $2,000 / people | For newly elected directors、shareholder、executive manager background、Credit andAnti-Money Laundering Review。 |
| 5. Stamp duty on share transfer(Stamp Duty) | transfer consideration or net asset value 0.2% | Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department statutory compulsory collection。Buyer and seller each bear 0.1%，Tax is calculated based on the higher of transfer consideration and market value。 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Hong Kong Gold and Silver Trading House License/Hong Kong Gold Exchange HKGX License(FAQ)
The HKGX license is actually an exchange member membership，Not by the Securities and Futures Commission(SFC)financial license issued。It empowers licensees to legally operate spot gold in Hong Kong、Authorization for physical trading of silver and other precious metals and electronic trading business。The exchange took over the functions of the original gold and silver trading center.，It is the only licensed exchange in Hong Kong that has been granted statutory exemption to engage in physical and electronic precious metals trading.。
From January 1, 2025，A gold and silver trading center with a century-old history(CGSE)Officially transformed and renamed Hong Kong Gold Exchange(HKGX)，All existing memberships have been seamlessly transitioned。therefore，The original trade venue license and the current HKGX membership belong to the same access system.，The old name is still common but the official name is based on HKGX。
Membership is strictly classified as AA、A1、A2、B、C、D、S and other categories。Category AA is the highest level，Can fully operate Jiujiujin、Hong Kong dollar/renminbi kilogram bars and London gold/silver electronic trading。AA only、Category A1 and C have the right to provide London gold/silver electronic trading services。Class D has no trading rights，Category S refers to illegal members whose trading rights are suspended.。
cannot。The exchange’s charter rigidly limits the total number of members to 192 (there are currently about 171)，The new application channel has been permanently closed。The only compliance path is to acquire the membership of existing members through the secondary market，Then submit an application for changes in equity and directors to the exchange。
Process includes：Entrust Hong Kong Information Communications and other professional institutions to conduct due diligence and evaluation of shell companies；Negotiate and sign a transfer agreement with the transferor；Prepare a full set of compliance documents (including actual controller penetration information)；Submit transfer nomination form to the exchange(MEF-001)and pay a non-refundable handling fee of HK$110,000；Cooperate with the exchange management and supervisory board for interviews and reviews；Process shareholder and director changes after approval。The whole process takes about 4-6 months。
The applicant must be a limited company registered in Hong Kong，And rent real physical office space in Hong Kong，Virtual affiliation is strictly prohibited。The exchange will conduct on-site compliance spot checks，At the same time, bank account opening also requires proof of entity operation.。
Full-time executive managers must be appointed (maximum two)，Not allowed to work part-time in other financial institutions or gold companies。The manager must be over 18 years old and hold a Hong Kong permanent identity card，Have sufficient precious metal or administrative management experience。Must attend the compliance interview with the Board of Supervisors in person，And submit a detailed resume for the past 7 years。
The final shareholder must prove that the company’s paid-in share capital is not less than HK$5 million (or the issued share capital is higher)，and issued for more than 6 consecutive months、Proof of fixed assets worth no less than HK$5 million (including bank deposits、securities、real estate, etc.) and flawless bank statements，to pass penetrating review。
High overall cost。In addition to the death threshold of HK$5 million equity capital，High-quality AA shell company transfer fee、11Exchange handling fee of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars、Lawyer and audit fees、Physical office expenses and security deposits, etc.，The total budget is generally in the range of several million to tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars.。
Implement a full isolation system for customer funds。Bankers must open a dedicated customer trust account with a local chartered commercial bank in Hong Kong(Client Trust Account)，All investor funds must go into this separate account，It is strictly prohibited to use shareholders’ personal accounts or company operating accounts for transfer，To prevent the risk of misappropriation。
must。Since the implementation of the Precious Metals and Gemstone Dealers Registration System，involving physical gold、Bank employees who trade in silver or have a single cash transaction of more than HK$120,000，Must simultaneously register with Hong Kong Customs as a Type A or Type B trader，Otherwise it will constitute a criminal violation。
Foundry qualification refers to the highest level of official certification obtained by the trading company from the Board of Supervisors of the Exchange.，Ability to legally establish independent smelters and foundries、Smelt and refine gold yourself，And the legal qualification to manufacture gold bars printed with its own brand (Logo) and exclusive fire mark。This type of gold bar is officially classified as "Approved Delivery Gold Bar"，Recognized clearing and circulation can be carried out directly in the Hong Kong gold and silver market and the international precious metals network。
Balance sheets must be submitted to the exchange regularly、working capital statement(FRR)and position statement；An annual financial report audited by a Hong Kong certified public accountant must be submitted after the end of each financial year.。Illegal operations such as misappropriation of customer funds、Betting on the black market, etc.，Will be publicly warned by the exchange、High fines or even indefinite suspension or revocation of membership。
Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX) License/Membership Sample
