Government welcomes passage of Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026

On 8 July 2026, the Hong Kong Government expressed its warm welcome to the Legislative Council’s passage of the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026, which sets out the specific arrangements for the calculation and payment of stamp duty in Renminbi (RMB) for transactions of dual-counter stocks conducted at the RMB counter of the Hong Kong stock market. A government spokesperson pointed out that this measure will enable investors to settle both their stock trades and the associated stamp duty in RMB at the same RMB counter, a move that is expected to effectively increase the trading turnover and market liquidity of the RMB counter, thereby further strengthening the role of RMB as an international investment currency. It is also announced that the Amendment Ordinance will be published in the Gazette on 17 July 2026, and the official commencement date of the new arrangements will be separately appointed by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury through a notice in the Gazette. This arrangement is made to give sufficient time for the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the relevant industry sectors and government departments to complete the necessary system preparations to ensure the smooth implementation of the new stamp duty payment rules. Source:  https://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/ppr/archives/26070804.htm