Kicking off the LME Asia Metals Seminar 2026, Bonnie Y Chan, CEO of the HKEX, noted that this week’s event follows a record-breaking year for the London Metals Exchange (LME) and the HKEX, with momentum continuing into 2026 amid global volatility in the macroeconomic environment.
Bonnie Y Chan notes that this persistent geopolitical uncertainty has led to diversification in the global capital markets. While there is a growing sentiment towards nationalism, the HKEX is seeing people coming into Asia — and Hong Kong, in particular — for metals trading.
This LME encouraged this trend, helping to maintain stability and enabling people to manage their risk on a trusted platform.
“The metals business is a global business, but we are seeing a global trend toward nationalism and the temptation to go it alone,” Bonnie Y Chan says.
“Supply chains by their very nature cannot be anything but global.”
Bonnie Y Chan stresses Asia’s role at the centre of the global economy and calls this period of time a “defining moment for Asian economies”.
“Capital always wants to connect with opportunity, even in volatile times.”
She backs this with key statistics on Hong Kong’s growing role as a commodity trading hub, noting the significant increase in LME-approved warehouses in Hong Kong. From four just a year ago, the number has jumped to 15, and these warehouses are now reaching capacity.
The HKEX is focused on giving investors broader access to the market, exploring more structures such as futures and options, and building a comprehensive commodity ecosystem in Asia.
“The demand is there, and the room for growth is there too.”
The Honourable Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, echoes Bonnie Y Chan’s comments on the rise of Hong Kong as a key player in the global commodity trading economy.
“The world is growing more complex, uncertain, and volatile, and the ongoing war in the Middle East has added further pressures to the metals trade, with aluminium, copper, and zinc seeing heightened volatility,” the Hon Paul Chan says.
“Reliable supply chains have become a strategic imperative, and this is where Hong Kong can take a strategic role.
“Hong Kong should be the commodity trading hub that connects China with other global supply chains.”
The Hon Paul Chan notes that the SAR’s role as an export hub is becoming increasingly important and that despite the 2025 tariff war, Hong Kong’s goods exports rose significantly, especially in the non-ferrous metals space.
Noting Zijin Mining’s US$3.21 billion listing on the HKEX in 2025, the Hon Paul Chan notes that it is beneficial to see more metals and mining companies establishing themselves in Hong Kong, as it provides strategic access to global and Chinese capital.
“Innovation is a key word driving the markets today, driven by the AI revolution, and metals are coming back into sharp focus as building blocks of this new technological era,” the Hon Paul Chan says.
“Hong Kong has the infrastructure, the connections, the capital, the talent, and the national mandate to serve this purpose, in partnership with the LME.”
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
