The development and regulation of robo-advisors in Hong Kong: empirical and comparative perspectives

ABSTRACT In July 2019, Hong Kong issued a comprehensive regulation on robo-advisors in the capital markets, with a view to striking a balance between investor protection and innovation promotion. This regulation has generated some noticeable positive impact on the market, but some problems remain to be addressed. It is critically assessed by way of a comparison with the laws in the US, the UK, Singapore, and Mainland China. It has strengths in terms of regulatory form and approach, the comprehensiveness of guidance provided and clear allocation of responsibility. There are also several weaknesses and challenges. Firstly, greater efforts need to be made to ensure proper compliance and enforcement. Secondly, more attention should be paid to the increasing complexity of algorithms. Thirdly, the issue of outsourcing arrangements requires further thoughts. Finally, Hong Kong should consider a staged reform on its financial regulatory architecture to address the issue of regulatory arbitrage.