The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (7 May) announced the launch of the Cargox Pilot Programme. Through a series of innovative projects with 21 participating banks (see Annex 1), the HKMA will take deep dives into cargo and trade data use cases, leveraging the Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) data infrastructure, with a view to advancing trade finance digitalisation and unlocking greater trade finance availability for Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
In collaboration with relevant government agencies and industry stakeholders, the HKMA is actively taking forward the 20 recommendations under the Data, Infrastructure and Connectivity pillars set out in the “Project Cargox Recommendation Report” published in January this year. The Pilot Programme will take a step forward by facilitating the iterative validation of cargo and trade data initiatives through a series of pilot transactions.
The integration of cargo and trade data will transform banking operations and trade finance processes, thereby assisting SMEs, particularly importers and exporters, in addressing the existing pain points in obtaining financing. Twenty-one banks with material trade finance businesses will actively participate in the Pilot Programme. These banks have established their own dedicated cross-functional taskforce to support the development of projects under the Pilot Programme.
In 2026 and 2027, a number of pilot projects (see Annex 2) will focus on four key areas, including integrating with key cargo and trade data platforms, combining SME trade flow and cash flow data for banks’ multi-dimensional credit assessment, adopting Digital Corporate Identity to enable trusted data sharing, and enhancing connectivity with key trade corridors.
Mr Howard Lee, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA, said, “The launch of the Cargox Pilot Programme marks a key milestone in translating the Cargox recommendations into action. We appreciate the strong commitment as reflected by the active participation of 21 participating banks, relevant government agencies and other key stakeholders in the trade and trade finance ecosystem. Through coordinated exploration of concrete cargo and trade data use cases under the Pilot Programme, Cargox will drive trade finance digitalisation and better serve the real economy, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a leading trade and trade finance hub.”
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
7 May 2026
Over 300 representatives from participating banks of the Cargox Pilot Programme gather at a workshop hosted by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to discuss details of the innovative projects.
