The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will launch a new channel on the stock exchange designed to expedite listings of tech companies, the latest move by the fundraising hub to boost attractiveness amid rising appetite of Chinese mainland companies to raise funds offshore.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange is to establish a dedicated "technology enterprises channel", Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Wednesday.

The channel will facilitate specialist technology and biotechnology companies' listings in Hong Kong, particularly those already listed in the mainland, Chan said while delivering his 2025-26 budget.

The market's watchdog Securities and Futures Commission is working with the exchange to enable a smoother application process, he added.

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The announcement comes as mainland companies, mainly those in the tech sector, accelerate plans to raise funds offshore, tapping into a rebound in investor sentiment fueled by hopes of Beijing's support for private firms and the popularity of DeepSeek.

With inputs from agencies