Swiss FinTech Company Invests in Hong Kong for Regional Expansion

Leonteq leverages the Asian metropolis as a gateway for greater growth.

Since its establishment in 2007, Zurich-based Leonteq has become widely recognised as an industry leader in structured financial solutions. The company issues and distributes its own products through financial intermediaries and partners with other financial institutions via two distinct white-labelling models. Currently, the company has 14 offices across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.

Unlocking Endless Opportunities

Leonteq set up its first Asia office in Hong Kong in 2011, having recognised early on the importance of the city in its global growth plans.

“The Hong Kong market is one of the focus areas of our growth strategy as a structured products specialist,” said Lukas Ruflin, CEO of Leonteq. “The city’s reputation as an international financial centre and its strategic location as the gateway to Mainland China make it the natural location for investors to manage their assets.”

According to Bain, cross-border assets booked in Hong Kong amounted to US$2.3 trillion in 2021, making the city second only to Switzerland as a cross-border financial centre.

“While Leonteq has been operating in Hong Kong for more than a decade, the city still presents plenty of new pathways for the company to grow,” Ruflin said. With more Chinese clients looking to set up family offices in Hong Kong, the proportion of assets under management from the Mainland is expected to increase by 11 percent over the next five years. Opportunities also abound in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), where more than 20 percent of China’s ultra-high-net-worth families reside.

“Hong Kong is the ideal location for us to serve this growing client base who is increasingly seeking to diversify their investment across markets and asset classes through structured products,” Ruflin stated.

Leading through Innovation

To better serve its key client segments, Leonteq has been offering clients the use of its multi-issuer platform, LynQs, for free since 2019. Developed in-house, this one-stop solution allows users to directly and efficiently access a range of modules, from investment ideas and structured products pricings to lifecycle management and risk monitoring.

The company’s commitment to innovation makes it especially well-suited for Hong Kong’s FinTech ecosystem, where both startups and industry giants can apply technology to build their reputations, test new products and offer better services for their customers. Leonteq has also benefitted from support from InvestHK, which has provided networking and PR opportunities as well as access to service providers to help the company expand its presence in Hong Kong and the wider region.

Ruflin noted that the city’s skilled workforce also plays an important role in Leonteq’s ability to continue being one of the leaders in the financial services space. “Hong Kong has a diverse talent pool with both an international focus and deep knowledge of local markets,” said Ruflin, adding that new recruitment schemes are attracting even more talent from Mainland China and overseas.

“Hong Kong offers a lot of opportunities and support when it comes to working in the financial services sector,” Ruflin said. “We will be growing the team as we as continue to expand our business in Hong Kong.”