Hong Kong Customs Warns Jewelry Exhibitors on Cash Transaction Rules at Pearl Show

As thousands of pearl, diamond, and gem traders converged on AsiaWorld-Expo for the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show, Hong Kong Customs issued a pointed reminder to non-local exhibitors: high-value cash transactions carried out during the five-day event carry strict reporting obligations under Hong Kong law, regardless of where a dealer is based.

The show, which ran March 2–6, 2026, brought together dealers in precious metals and stones from around the world. On the opening day, Customs published notices across multiple official government channels clarifying the obligations that apply under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, known as Cap. 615.

Under that ordinance, any person seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones who engages in transactions with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs and fulfill anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing statutory obligations. The registration requirement applies whether the transaction involves making or receiving a payment.

The picture is more nuanced for overseas exhibitors. Non-Hong Kong dealers fulfilling the prescribed conditions, a category that explicitly includes those who come to Hong Kong to participate in exhibitions, are exempt from the registration requirement itself. That exemption, however, does not release them from all obligations. As Customs stated directly in the notice: "they are required to submit to Hong Kong Customs a cash transaction report for any cash transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 carried out in Hong Kong within one day after the transaction, or before the dealer or the person acting on behalf of the dealer leaves Hong Kong, whichever is earlier."

That deadline is notably compressed for exhibitors who may complete a major sale on the final afternoon of the show and depart the same evening. The "whichever is earlier" construction means the clock effectively starts the moment a qualifying transaction closes.

The regulatory framework behind this reminder is relatively recent. The Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime, which provides the structural basis for these obligations, came into effect on April 1, 2023, making this one of the first full show seasons during which Customs has actively circulated compliance reminders at major gem and pearl events.

The fact that Customs distributed the same notice simultaneously across multiple official channels on March 2 signals an enforcement posture that exhibitors at future Hong Kong gem events should take seriously. The Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong, another major trade show held at AsiaWorld-Expo, is subject to the same regulatory framework, and similar reminders have been issued in connection with that event as well.

For international pearl and gem dealers, the practical implication is clear: a single wholesale transaction crossing the HK$120,000 threshold, a threshold easily reached in fine pearl and colored stone trading, triggers a compliance obligation with a one-day window that does not extend past departure from Hong Kong.