Getting your Airwallex account approved is only half the battle; keeping it requires avoiding triggers like high refund rates or sudden business model pivots that spook banking partners. The most common mistake is draining your account to zero immediately after a sale, which signals "exit scam" to risk algorithms and often leads to a freeze—something our Gold Partner status can help you navigate or prevent. The Airwallex "Risk Appetite": Why Your Account Was Closed Without Wa

Airwallex rejects thousands of e-commerce applications not because the businesses are illegal, but because their websites fail a "credibility smell test." To get approved, your site needs to be free of "scammy" tactics like fake countdown timers, must explicitly list your Hong Kong company details in the footer, and should be vetted by a Gold Partner like Athenasia to fast-track your onboarding. From Rejection to Approval: Optimizing Your E-commerce Site for Fintech Complianc

KYC is the mandatory identity and business verification that all Hong Kong banks and corporate service providers must perform to combat money laundering. It's the biggest hurdle to opening a bank account, but doing it correctly with your company secretary from day one is the secret to a smooth application. Don't Fail KYC: The Hidden Hurdle in Hong Kong Company Incorporation You’ve done it. You’ve decided to launch your international business, and you’ve chosen Hong Kong as yo

While buying a Hong Kong shelf company provides immediate incorporation, it offers no banking advantages and adds administrative complexity. A fresh incorporation is already exceptionally fast and digitally streamlined, often making it the cleaner and more practical option for most businesses. What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Hong Kong Shelf Companies For decades, the "shelf company" has been a fixture in Hong Kong's corporate services landscape. The concept was straight

Hong Kong's 'no minimum capital' rule is a trap; registering with just HK$1 can make you look undercapitalized to banks and partners who can see your filing. The smart, standard play is to register a sensible amount like HK$10,000 to signal commitment, which you can easily increase later as you grow. The HK$10,000 Question: Setting Your Company's Share Capital in Hong Kong When you start the process of incorporating in Hong Kong, you’ll quickly hear the magic words: "There’s

Yes, an annual audit by a Hong Kong CPA is mandatory for almost every private limited company, regardless of its size or revenue. The system's "concession" for small businesses isn't waiving the audit; it's allowing you to use a much simpler accounting standard (SME-FRS) to prepare your financials, which makes the audit itself faster and more affordable. Compliance for New Hong Kong Company Owners You’ve just successfully incorporated your new Hong Kong "Limited" company . Th

Taking a salary from your Hong Kong company cuts its corporate tax bill but triggers a mountain of personal compliance paperwork and audit risks if "excessive." Taking a dividend is simpler, but a new FSIE rule could trap your foreign-sourced income at the company level—which is why a hybrid of the two is now the smartest play. Paying Yourself a Salary vs. Taking Dividends in Hong Kong You did it. You navigated the process of incorporating in Hong Kong , setting up an efficia

Yes, you can absolutely have a business partner in another country; Hong Kong's legal framework places no residency or nationality restrictions on company directors or shareholders. The key is to understand that while incorporation is a simple, remote process for all partners, banking requires a modern strategy, as traditional banks create logistical hurdles for global teams. My Co-Founder Lives Abroad. Can We Still Open a Hong Kong Company? The modern startup isn’t born in a

If you run a Hong Kong company with no employees, you generally don't need to file an Employer's Return. However, if the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) sends you the form (BIR56A), you are legally required to submit it as a "Nil" return within one month to avoid penalties. Received a Hong Kong Employer's Return But Have No Staff? Here's What to Do You’re a solo founder, running your new Hong Kong company from your laptop a thousand miles away. You have no office, no staff, a

The world's biggest trade show, the Canton Fair, just got even bigger and way smarter, packed with AI, robots, and over a million new products hitting the floor this Autumn 2025. For global buyers, navigating this beast requires a serious digital strategy, and using a Hong Kong company as your operational base is fast becoming the insider's playbook for unlocking its full potential. Robots, AI, and a Million New Products: Inside the Record-Shattering Trade Show That’s Redefin

Airwallex isn't just another Fintech; it's a global payments powerhouse built in Australia that's solving the biggest headache for international businesses: cross-border banking. By offering easy remote account opening, multi-currency cards, and a Stripe-like payment gateway, it's becoming the go-to alternative for companies fed up with the slow, complex world of traditional banks, especially for those setting up shop in Hong Kong. The $5.5 Billion Fintech Quietly Solving Glo

China just launched a massive, AI-powered "trade city" in Yiwu, designed to give small businesses the same global firepower as multinational corporations. This new Global Digital Trade Center combines a physical market with a powerful digital platform, offering everything from AI-generated marketing videos to frictionless cross-border payments, positioning it to become the new operating system for global sourcing. China Just Launched an AI-Powered 'Trade City' to Give Small B