Hong Kong continues to rank within the top 20 in "Operational Efficiency" and in the second quintile in "Regulatory Framework" and "Public Services", according to the World Bank Group’s Business Ready 2025 Report.

This year’s report expanded its scope from 50 to more than 100 economies, assessing each business environment across three primary pillars and ten specific topics.

In response to the report, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said that the assessment results for areas such as “International Trade”, “Financial Services” and “Dispute Resolution” differ from the highly positive evaluations and rankings awarded to Hong Kong by many other international organisations.

The Government also noted that the report’s assessment methodology may lead to comparisons that are both outdated and unfair.

Using the “Operational Efficiency” pillar as an example, Hong Kong’s assessment relied on data collected shortly after the pandemic in 2023, whereas data for other economies was gathered in 2024.

Given that this year’s report is still in its pilot phase, the Government noted potential issues with methodology and data comparability. The Government said it will remain in contact with the World Bank Group to clarify Hong Kong's business environment and relevant policy measures.

The Government added that it will offer constructive feedback to refine future reports.