Hong Kong has climbed to the world’s No. 2 economy in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, marking its best performance since 2019. Learn how improvements in economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure are cementing Hong Kong’s status as a leading global financial and business hub.
Photo courtesy of Reuters
Hong Kong emerged as the world’s second most competitive economy, marking its strongest performance since 2019 and extending a three-year rise in global rankings.
The improvement came from the 2026 World Competitiveness Ranking released by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), which assessed economies based on factors including economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government welcomed the result, saying the ranking reflects the city’s continued progress and growing competitiveness.
“The World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2026 reaffirms Hong Kong as one of the most competitive economies in the world, and notes that Hong Kong's rise to second sustains the strong upward trajectory from 2024 and 2025,” an HKSAR government spokesperson said.
The latest ranking builds on Hong Kong’s consecutive improvements in recent years as the city continues to strengthen its position as a global financial and business hub.
