Hong Kong dollar Wikipedia

what is hkd

While only the HK$10 banknote is issued solely by Hong Kong Monetary Authority on behalf of the Government of Hong Kong, which in total makes up the banknote circulation arrangement to four different note issuers. In 1934, the last 1-cent coins were issued, but the last minting was 1941. These were not issued because the Japanese sank a ship carrying 1-cent coins bound for Hong Kong in the Second World War. The following year (1935), cupro-nickel 5 and 10 cents were introduced, replaced by nickel in 1937 and nickel-brass between 1948 and 1949. Copper-nickel 50 cents were issued in 1951 and first bore the name “fifty cents” in both Chinese and English, but these were changed to nickel-brass in 1977. The Chinese currency is subject to strict capital and exchange controls.

$1.000 HKD = $0.1285 USD

In 1960, cupro-nickel 1-dollar coins were introduced, these were then reduced in size in 1978. They were followed in 1975 by nickel-brass 20 cents and cupro-nickel 2-dollar coin (both scallop shaped) and, in 1976, by decagonal, cupro-nickel 5-dollar coin, changed to a round thicker shape in 1980. But in recent months, the Chinese city’s de facto central bank has had to burn through a huge chunk of cash buying Hong Kong dollars to maintain the peg to the US currency. This was down from 6.5 per US dollar at the start of the year, under the floating exchange rate system. Shops began to quote prices in US dollars and refused to accept Hong Kong dollar notes.

In 1985, HK$20 notes were introduced, whilst, in 1993, HK$10 coins were introduced and the banks stopped issuing HK$10 notes. In 1994 the HKMA gave authority to the Bank of China to issue notes. Three commercial banks are licensed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to issue their own banknotes for general circulation in Hong Kong. These banks, HSBC, Bank of China, and Standard Chartered, issue their own designs of banknotes in denominations of HK$20, HK$50, HK$100, HK$150, HK$500, and HK$1000, with all designs being similar to one another in the same denomination of banknote. However, the HK$10 banknote and all coins are issued by the Government of Hong Kong.

How to convert Hong Kong dollars to US dollars

But if China were facing considerable capital flight, Hong Kong’s open market environment could appear as a vulnerability rather than a benefit to Beijing, Wright said. In stay away from the scam! learn more in our london capital group review! British Weihaiwei, the Hong Kong dollar circulated jointly with the Chinese yuan from 1914 to 1930, when Weihaiwei was returned to the Republic of China.

what is hkd

This trading band versus the USD has been in place since 1983, although the upper and lower limits have been adjusted periodically. The HKMA has about $450 billion+ USD in foreign reserves to thwart any attempts to break the peg with the USD. One notable attempt was made by legendary hedge fund manager George Soros in 1998. HSBC, Bank of China and Standard Chartered officially introduced a new series of banknotes on New Year’s Day (1 January) 1993 at stroke of midnight HKT in denominations of $10, $20, $25, $50, $100, $500 and $1000.

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  2. As of today, the three commercial banks, HSBC, Bank of China and Standard Chartered issue their own designs of banknotes in denominations of HK$20, HK$50, HK$100, HK$500 and HK$1,000, with all designs being similar to the other in the same denomination of banknote.
  3. The lower limit has been lowered from 7.80 to 7.85 (by 100 pips per week from 23 May to 20 June 2005).24 The Hong Kong Monetary Authority indicated this move is to narrow the gap between the interest rates in Hong Kong and those of the United States.
  4. Some analysts are urging the city to cut loose from the US dollar completely.

Why Hong Kong can’t afford to keep its currency pegged to the US dollar

Since the silver dollars in the US and Canada were attached to a gold exchange standard, this meant that the silver dollars circulating along the China coast dropped in value as compared to the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar. Banks have more than $154 billion worth of collateral they can use to obtain liquidity from the HKMA when necessary, he added. And in an emergency, Hong Kong officials could tap official foreign currency reserves worth $427 billion. Higher rates also add to headwinds affecting the city’s property market, which was already facing pressure from an exodus of people and capital due to political turmoil. Beijing has tightened its grip on Hong Kong in recent years, sparking mass protests and drawing global criticism. It imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020, which critics fear makes it easier to crack down on free speech and dissent.

The 1-mil and 1-cent were struck in bronze, with the 1 mil a holed coin. Production of the 1-mil ended in 1866, whilst that of the half-dollar and 1-dollar ceased in 1868, with only the half-dollar (now with the denomination given as 50 cents) resuming production in 1890. Production of all silver coins was suspended in 1905, only briefly resumed in 1932 and 1933 for the production of 5-cent coins. In 1873, the international silver crisis resulted in a devaluation of silver against gold-based currencies.

Understanding the HKD (Hong Kong Dollar)

The Hong Kong dollar was outlawed by the Japanese puppet government in 1943 and reinstated in 1945 after World War II. Hong Kong is now in sole control of the printing and administration of its currency, which is controlled by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). “Hong Kong would not be able to operate a system that was fully and freely convertible to the mainland currency without undermining some of China’s financial controls,” Greenwood said. Yes, according to Xie, who said embracing the yuan could stabilize Hong Kong’s markets, because China’s interest rates are expected to stay lower than US rates due to lower inflation. That system has served Hong Kong well mq server requester channel start fails amq9202 csqx202e econnrefused since, helping the city to navigate successfully through the Asian financial crisis, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003, the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eddie Yue, chief executive of the HKMA, said in early May that even as the city’s overall aggregate balance has fallen, local banks have had no issues with liquidity. Sticking with a US-pegged currency would mean what are the various forex trading strategies continued exposure to volatility, he added. Entrenched US inflation could bring back dollar swings like in the 1970s, or US interest rate surges like in the 1980s.


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