How much does it cost to incorporate a company in Hong Kong?

While the bare-minimum government fees to open a Hong Kong company are relatively low, the "real" cost for a functional, compliant business—including a mandatory company secretary, registered address, and banking support—typically lands around HK$10,800 (approx. US$1,380). Founders should be wary of "zero fee" marketing gimmicks, which often hide expensive upsells for essential services or leave you stranded without a bank account.

How Much Does It Really Cost to Open a Hong Kong Company in 2025?

Hong Kong is famous for its economic freedom. It’s a place where taxes are low, regulations are light, and the barriers to entry are intentionally kept minimal. But for an entrepreneur sitting in London, New York, or Sydney, trying to budget for a new Asian expansion, the actual price tag of "getting set up" can be frustratingly opaque.

A quick Google search will show you a chaotic marketplace. You’ll see ads for "Free Incorporation!" next to law firms quoting US$5,000 retainers. You’ll see government fee tables that look cheap, but service agreements that are ten pages long.

The confusion stems from a simple fact: incorporation is not a single fee. It is a bundle of government levies, mandatory local services, and compliance retainers.

To build a realistic budget, you need to strip away the marketing fluff and look at the line items. You aren't just paying for a certificate; you are paying for a legal structure that can hold assets, sign contracts, and—most critically—open a bank account. Here is the insider’s breakdown of what it actually costs to launch a credible Hong Kong business in 2026.

The "Base Layer": What the Government Demands

First, let's look at the non-negotiable costs. These are the fees that go straight to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government. No agency or lawyer can waive these.

1. Company Registration Fee: This is paid to the Companies Registry. As of 2025, the standard fee for incorporating a private limited company electronically is HK$1,545 (approx. US$198).

2. Business Registration Fee (BRC): This is paid to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). It is essentially a tax on the right to do business. The price fluctuates based on government relief measures (which come and go with the annual budget), but the standard base fee is HK$2,000 per year, plus a HK$150 levy. So, roughly HK$2,150 (approx. US$275).

The "Raw" Total: Roughly HK$3,695 (approx. US$475).

If you were a Hong Kong resident with your own office and a professional license to act as your own Company Secretary, this is all you would pay. But for 99% of international founders, this "raw" price is a fantasy. You cannot access the system directly without the mandatory local components.

The "Compliance Layer": The Mandatory Local Hires

This is where the service providers come in. Hong Kong law requires two things that a non-resident cannot provide for themselves:

1. A Registered Office Address: You need a physical address in Hong Kong for government mail. It cannot be a P.O. Box. Unless you are renting a physical office in Central (which costs thousands of USD per month), you will rent a "virtual" address from a service provider.

2. A Company Secretary: This is the big one. Every company must have a Company Secretary. This is a statutory role responsible for legal compliance. It must be a Hong Kong resident or a licensed Hong Kong corporation. You cannot do this yourself from overseas.

These two services are the core of any "Incorporation Package." When you see a price tag from a firm like Athenasia, this is primarily what you are paying for.

The "Hidden Layer": The Cost of Being Bankable

Here is the secret that "cheap" incorporation mills won't tell you: A company without a bank account is worthless.

There are providers who will incorporate you for rock-bottom prices. They will file the forms, get your certificates, and then wave goodbye. You are then left with a legal entity and a stack of papers, trying to convince a bank to talk to you.

When you walk into a bank (or apply to a rigorous Fintech like Airwallex) with a bargain-bin incorporation setup, you often face rejection. Why? Because the bank needs support. They need certified true copies of documents. They need to know your Company Secretary is responsive. They need to know your structure is sound.

A premium incorporation package isn't just charging for the paperwork; it's charging for the banking support. It includes the time spent pre-screening your business model, preparing your "bank-ready" file, and introducing you to partners. At ATHENASIA, we have partnered with premium fintech providers like Airwallex, Currenxie and Aspire to ensure that you have the best banking solutions for your business. Our incorporations include the opening of these fintech accounts.

The "Standard" Market Price: HK$10,800

So, what is the fair price for a complete, headache-free setup?

At Athenasia, our standard incorporation package is priced at HK$10,800 (approx. US$1,380).

We are transparent about this number because it represents the "all-in" cost of a functional company. It isn't a stripped-down teaser rate that doubles once you add the essentials.

Here is exactly what that HK$10,800 buys you:

• All Government Fees: The HK$1,545 registration fee and the HK$2,150 Business Registration fee are paid. No surprises.

• The Company Secretary (Year 1): We act as your named Company Secretary for the first 12 months. This includes handling your significant controllers register (SCR) and ensuring you don't miss statutory deadlines.

• The Registered Address (Year 1): You get to use our Hong Kong office address as your official registered address. We handle your government mail.

• The Banking Assist: This is the value-add. We don't just give you the papers; we guide you through the banking minefield. We help you apply to our Fintech partners (like Airwallex, Wise, or OCBC), pre-screening your application to ensure it meets their strict KYC standards. This service alone saves clients weeks of frustration.

• The "Green Box": You receive a digital kit with your Articles of Association, share certificates, and statutory registers—everything you need to prove you own the business.

Could you find it cheaper? Yes. You can find "promo" rates of HK$6,000 or even less. But these often come with a catch: the second year renewal fee triples, or they charge you $500 every time you ask for a signature on a bank form. In the corporate services world, you generally pay for the problem you want to solve: do you want to solve the "registration" problem, or the "operating business" problem?

The "Setup" vs. "Maintenance" Trap

The cost of a company isn't a one-time fee. It's a subscription. Before you incorporate, you need to budget for the annual recurring costs (Year 2 and beyond).

If you sign up for the HK$10,800 package today, what do you pay next year?

1. Renewal Fee: You will need to renew your Business Registration, Company Secretary, and Registered Address. At Athenasia, this annual renewal package is currently HK$8,800 (approx. US$1,130). This keeps your company legal and alive.

2. The Audit: This is the cost most founders forget. Every Hong Kong limited company must submit an audited financial statement with its tax return. This is not included in the incorporation fee because it happens 18 months later.

   • The Cost: Audit fees depend on your turnover (revenue) and complexity. For a small, clean e-commerce or consulting business, audit fees might start around HK$6,000 - HK$10,000. If you have millions in transactions and messy books, it will be higher.

The "Real" Annual Burn Rate:

To keep a Hong Kong company dormant or lightly active, you should budget roughly HK$15,000 - HK$20,000 (US$2,000 - $2,500) per year for all compliance, renewals, and basic audits.

Conclusion: The Price of Legitimacy

Starting a business in Hong Kong is an investment in legitimacy. You are buying a structure that allows you to trade globally with zero tax on offshore profits, access world-class fintech, and operate with the credibility of a Tier-1 financial hub.

The entry ticket for that privilege is roughly US$1,380.

When you break it down, that cost is remarkably low compared to the tax savings and operational freedom it unlocks. A single month of tax savings on a US$50,000 profit (taxed at 0% in HK vs. 21% in the US) pays for the entire incorporation package.

Don't shop for the lowest number on a Google Ad. Shop for the package that gets you a bank account, keeps you out of legal trouble, and lets you focus on earning the revenue that makes the setup fee irrelevant.