HKMA Reports Q1 2025 Statistics on Stored Value Facilities and Increased Transaction Activity

Statistics of Stored Value Facilities Schemes issued by SVF Licensees

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published today (June 20) statistics on Stored Value Facilities (SVF) schemes issued by SVF licensees for the first quarter of 2025.

The SVF scheme statistics (see Annex) include quarterly data on SVF schemes issued by the SVF licensees of the relevant periods. Starting from the statistics for Q1/2025, the HKMA began to publish "withdrawal" transaction data to provide more information regarding SVF transactions (Note 1).

According to the quarterly statistics, the total number of SVF accounts in use (Note 2) was 80.89 million at the end of Q1/2025, representing a 1.4 per cent increase from the previous quarter. The total number of SVF transactions was around 2.1 billion in Q1/2025, or 7.6 per cent lower than the previous quarter. The total value of SVF transactions was HK$288.4 billion in Q1/2025, representing a 1.0 per cent increase from the previous quarter. Of the total transaction value, HK$46.0 billion was related to point-of-sale spending payment, HK$20.9 billion in online spending payment, HK$23.5 billion in P2P funds transfer, HK$74.8 billion in withdrawal and HK$123.2 billion in add value. The total float and SVF deposit (Note 3) was HK$19.5 billion at the end of Q1/2025, 1.9 per cent higher than the previous quarter.

As compared with the end of Q1/2024, the total number of SVF accounts in use at the end of Q1/2025 was up by 9.9 per cent, and the total float and SVF deposit was up by 11.6 per cent. The total number and value of SVF transactions during Q1/2025 were up by 5.4per cent and 43.3per cent respectively year-on-year.

Note 1: "Withdrawal" includes ATM cash withdrawal, funds transfer to the accounts of other financial institutions and outward remittance. Before Q1/2025, SVF transactions data comprise "point-of-sale spending payment", "online spending payment", "P2P funds transfer" and "add value". Following the publication of "withdrawal" transactions, certain transactions that were previously classified as "point-of-sale spending payment", "online spending payment" or "P2P funds transfer" are now reclassified as "withdrawal" to reflect the relevant nature of such transactions. Figures for Q1/2024 and Q4/2024 have been adjusted accordingly from those released in June 2024 and March 2025 respectively to facilitate cross-period comparison.

Note 2: "Total number of SVF accounts in use" refers to the total number of SVF accounts that can be used as at the end of the reporting period.

Note 3:The terms "float" and "SVF deposit" follow their definitions in the Payment Systems and Stored Value Facilities Ordinance.

Police National Security Department charges two men and arrests one woman

The National Security Department (NSD) of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested a 26-year-old woman on December 12 night for being suspected of committing the offence of “unlawful drilling” under Section 13 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, in connection with the enforcement operation conducted on December 11.

Regarding the nine persons arrested earlier, NSD has laid charge against two of the men, aged 24 and 25, jointly with one count of "conspiracy to commit subversion". The case will be mentioned at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (December 15) morning.

The arrested woman and other arrestees were released on bail and are required to report back to the Police in mid-January 2026.

Investigation revealed that a syndicate has been conducting unlawful drilling inside a unit of an industrial building in Kowloon. The training content includes firearms drills, knife techniques and combat techniques. Police conducted searches at the unit suspected of being used for unlawful drilling and seized offensive weapons associated with the unlawful drilling.

Police remind members of the public that "conspiracy to commit subversion" is a serious offence. Offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for more than ten years on first conviction. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law.

Source: AI-found images