Exchange of Notes for Lai-see Uses

As the Chinese New Year draws near, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the three note-issuing banks (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited) today (Wednesday) announced that new notes and good-as-new notes in various denominations will be available for exchange at branches of the three note-issuing banks starting from 14 January 2020, to meet demand for notes as lai-see.  The HKMA encourages the public to continue supporting the use of good-as-new notes.  Good-as-new notes are perfectly suitable for use as lai-see, given that Hong Kong's currency notes are maintained at a high standard of cleanliness; and there will be abundant supply of good-as-new notes. 

Concurrently, the 2018 Series HK$20 and HK$50 banknotes will be issued into circulation and available for exchange at branches of the three note-issuing banks.  With the issuance of these new HK$20 and HK$50 banknotes, all the five denominations of the 2018 Series will be in circulation.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
1 January 2020