SFC and Central Bank of Ireland enhance cooperation in public fund distribution

On May 14, 2025, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong and the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Recognition of Funds, facilitating the streamlined distribution of eligible public funds between the two jurisdictions. This updated cooperation framework builds on a previous agreement from 1997 and allows for the cross-border offering of Hong Kong public collective investment schemes in Ireland and vice versa, with an expedited approval process for Irish UCITS in Hong Kong. Both regulators emphasized the importance of this agreement in enhancing investment opportunities and regulatory cooperation, with the SFC noting that Ireland is the 11th jurisdiction to join its mutual recognition of funds scheme, which aims to strengthen Hong Kong’s connectivity with global markets. Resources: https://apps.sfc.hk/edistributionWeb/gateway/EN/news-and-announcements/news/doc?refNo=25PR64