Bakai Bank expands to Hong Kong as first Central Asian bank in APAC

Kyrgyzstan-based Bakai Bank has secured a banking licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, becoming the first Central Asian bank to establish a presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

The bank will operate as a Restricted Licence Bank under the name Bakai Bank Open Joint-Stock Company (Hong Kong Branch). The new branch is intended to address underserved cross-border banking needs, specifically supporting trade, payments, and treasury solutions along the Central Asia-APAC economic corridor under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Andreas Meletiou, CEO of Bakai Bank Hong Kong, stated that the city is well-positioned to connect East and West. The expansion follows interest secured by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) during visits to Central Asia, including the Kyrgyz Republic. Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, noted that the move aligns with Hong Kong’s economic development goals for 2026–2030.