Legislation and Guidelines

The following laws, regulations, guidelines, recommendations, etc, are worth referencing for all Money Service Operators in Hong Kong, especially Chapter 34 and Chapter 615, Laws of Hong Kong, and Guideline on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (For Money Service Operators). These are closely related to daily operations of the money services industry.

Guidelines

Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Money Service Operators Licensing Guide (August 2021)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Supplementary Guideline on Criteria for Determining Fitness and Propriety (January 2020)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Guidelines for Submission of AML/CFT Policy by Applicant for Money Service Operator Licence/License (December 2019)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Guideline on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter- Financing of Terrorism (For Money Service Operators) (November 2018)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Money Service Operators Disciplinary Fining Guideline (May 2018)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Disciplinary Action Guidelines as to the Imposition of a Pecuniary Penalty (April 2018)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Money Service Operators Guidelines on Criteria for Determining Fitness and Propriety (April 2018)
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Guidelines for Submission of Business Plan by Applicant for Money Service Operator Licence/Licensee
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department & Communications Authority – Enforcement Guidelines for the Trade Descriptions (Unfair Trade Practices) (Amendment) Ordinance 2012 (July 2013)
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission – Guideline on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (November 2018)
Hong Kong Monetary Authority – Guideline on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (For Authorized Institutions) (October 2018)

Legislations

Others

FATF – Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach to Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers(June 2019)
Hong Kong’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Report(April 2018)
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued Forty Recommendations on money laundering. (Source: Financial Action Task Force (FATF)website)
- Revised FATF Recommendations (February 2012) (updated in June 2019)
For the following laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China, please refer to the Chinese Central Government’s Official Web Portal
- Anti-Money Laundering Law of the People’s Republic of China
- Provisions on Anti-money Laundering through Financial Institutions
- Administrative Measures for Financial Institutions’ Report of Transactions Suspected of Financing for Terrorist Purposes
- Administrative Measures for the Financial Institutions’ Report of Large-sum Transactions and Doubtful Transactions
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department – Guidance Notes on the Competence Assessment for Money Service Operators (March 2021)

Get help and troubleshoot

Questions about money service operators:
Customs and Excise Department
Money Service Supervision Bureau
Tel: (852) 2707 7837
Fax: (852) 2707 7838
Email: msoenquiry@customs.gov.hk
Mail: Units 1218-1222, 12/F., Nan Fung Commercial Centre, 19 Lam Lok Street, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon

Suspicious transaction reporting:
Joint Financial Intelligence Unit
Tel: (852) 2866 3366
Fax: (852) 2529 4013
Email: jfiu@police.gov.hk
Mail: GPO Box 6555 Hong Kong