HKEX proposes new board lot framework to simplify trading

Consultation opens on HKEX until March 2026.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has published a consultation paper on proposed changes to the board lot framework in the stock market.

A board lot is the standard number of shares that traders use when buying or selling stocks where there are now 40 different sizes in the country’s market.

HKEX is seeking a more streamlined and simplified framework as the current system makes trading and settlement more complicated, pushes up trading costs, and might make retail investors hesitant to trade shares comfortably.

HKEX proposes that instead of the current 40 sizes of board lots, investors would choose from just eight standard options: 1, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000.

The minimum value will also be halved from $2000 to $1000 whilst the maximum value will be capped at $50,000 for those that are larger than 100 shares so regular investors can trade these board lots.

HKEX is asking for public feedback and the consultation period will run until 12 March 2026.