The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) registered 582 new cases in 2025, representing $16.2 billion in dispute value and parties from 61 jurisdictions. What do those numbers reveal about the institution’s evolving global reach?
In this episode of The Arbitration Acumen Podcast, J.P. Duffy, an international arbitration partner at Bracewell, sits down with HKIAC Secretary-General Joanne Lau to examine the institution’s 2025 caseload and priorities for 2026 and beyond.
They discuss crypto, blockchain and technology disputes; arbitrator diversity; and the 2024 Administered Arbitration Rules. Joanne explains multiparty and multicontract proceedings, expedited procedures, and the Hong Kong-Mainland China Interim Measures Arrangement. The conversation also covers emergency arbitration, arbitrator hourly rates, international outreach efforts and Hong Kong’s arbitration law review.
Episode Highlights
[4:28] HKIAC’s Caseload Reaches Parties From 61 Jurisdictions. HKIAC’s 2025 caseload involved parties from 61 jurisdictions, with 93 percent involving at least one party from outside Hong Kong. Joanne identifies Brazil as a first-time entrant to HKIAC’s top 10 party jurisdictions, alongside a growing presence by the UAE, Russia and Southeast Asian markets.
[9:23] Arbitrator Diversity: 20 Percent of 2025 Appointments Were Women. HKIAC confirmed or appointed approximately 400 arbitrators from 26 geographic origins and nationalities. Joanne reports that approximately 36 percent of HKIAC appointments were women and 20 percent involved arbitrators who had not previously received an HKIAC appointment. She also discusses the diversity provision introduced in the 2024 rules.
[12:19] Multiparty and Multicontract Cases Put the 2024 Rules to Work. Half of HKIAC’s new cases involved multiple parties or multiple contracts, while 30 percent of administered arbitrations involved a single arbitration commenced under multiple contracts. Joanne explains the institution’s mechanisms for joinder, consolidation and multicontract proceedings, as well as the role of its Proceedings Committee.
[20:36] Hong Kong-Mainland China Interim Measures Arrangement Gives Hong Kong-Seated Arbitrations a Distinct Advantage. Joanne discusses how the Hong Kong-Mainland China Interim Measures Arrangement allows parties in qualifying Hong Kong-seated arbitrations to seek interim relief from Mainland Chinese courts. HKIAC processed 34 applications worth approximately $720 million in 2025 and 178 applications between 2019 and 2025.
[27:34] An Empirical Benchmark for Arbitrator Hourly Rates. Drawing on more than 1,400 arbitrator appointments, HKIAC studied the average hourly rates charged across cases of different sizes and under different sets of rules. Joanne explains how the resulting data increases cost transparency for parties while giving newer arbitrators a practical benchmark for setting their rates.
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