LegCo reply outlines money-lender safeguards affecting FDHs

Confirmed Government position; no new borrowing prohibition announced. From June 2027, new licensing conditions will require money lenders conducting unsecured personal-loan business to provide borrower personal-credit data to Credit Data Smart regularly. Lenders with HK$50 million or more in unsecured loans, or lending to people earning under HK$12,000 monthly, must also join CDS to obtain credit data.

Non-compliance can lead to licence revocation or refused renewal, and breaching licensing conditions is an offence. The reply says the measures do not prohibit lawful borrowing.

The Labour Department Code of Practice says employment agencies must not give job seekers personal-loan information or advise, arrange, encourage or force borrowing from any institution in or outside Hong Kong. Violations can lead to licence revocation or refused renewal.

Police conducted nine large-scale arrest operations against loan-sharking and illegal debt collection in the first three quarters of 2026. The reply says there is no evidence tighter regulation has generally pushed low-income earners, including FDHs, to illegal loans.

Last verified

26 October 2026.