PayPal: 25.4m global buyers shopped from HK merchants in past year
More than 25.4 million buyers from over 100 markets purchased from Hong Kong businesses via PayPal in the year to June 2026, with US, Germany and UK leading demand. The report also noted rising mainland firms using Hong Kong as an overseas base and growing adoption of buy now, pay later services.
More than 25.4 million global buyers purchased from Hong Kong businesses via PayPal over the past year, driven by an increase in mainland Chinese firms setting up in the city for overseas expansion and growing adoption of buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, according to a PayPal report released on Tuesday.
Data from July 2025 to June 2026 showed that Hong Kong merchants continued to capture demand from major global markets, with 200,000 daily cross-border transactions and US$409 million (HK$3.21 billion) in monthly turnover. Buyers came from more than 100 markets, with the US, Germany and the UK remaining the top three international markets, recording roughly 8.6 million, 6.2 million and 2.2 million purchases respectively. Emerging markets including Brazil, Mexico and Malaysia also saw significant spending over the period.
Retail, fashion, gaming and computers led Hong Kong's cross-border sales, as an increasing number of mainland Chinese companies are establishing a presence in the international trade hub to grow their global business, said Jack Fu, director of Enterprise Account Management of Hong Kong and Taiwan at PayPal. He added that vacuum cleaners, 3D printers and drones from mainland brands recorded outstanding performance. Mainland-made goods re-exported through Hong Kong made up roughly 41.2 per cent of the city's total exports in 2025, according to Hong Kong official data. "The findings demonstrate the city's global reach, attractiveness and opportunities that cross-border commerce presents for local merchants," Fu said.
The report also highlighted evolving consumer behaviour, with digital payment experiences valued more highly and BNPL gaining traction. PayPal's BNPL volume climbed 26 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, with the US and Australia as mature markets and adoption picking up in Europe and Japan. The global BNPL market is forecast to grow 21 to 23 per cent over the next decade, according to Global Market Insights.
A separate PayPal survey showed that 63 to 70 per cent of consumers planned to keep or raise their festive spending, while 18 to 27 per cent would start shopping early. Fu suggested merchants could adjust resource allocation according to their products and different markets, and prepare earlier for the year-end holiday shopping season, including rolling out early-bird offers or limited coupons sooner.