Why the China-Switzerland Stock Connect never quite took off

The Sino-Swiss corridor, set up to encourage Chinese firms to sell global depositary receipts to international investors in the European state, took off fast in 2022. But a host of challenges, from Chinese regulatory concerns to an apparent lack of global interest, has stalled its progress.

There were high hopes when China and Switzerland unveiled a stock scheme linking the two countries in July 2022. Matching capital-hungry mainland corporates with capital-rich European investors via the medium of Switzerland-listed global depository receipts (GDRs) seemed a perfect match.

The plan sparked enthusiasm when first launched – and for good reason. Swiss-listed GDRs could offer foreign funds direct access to listed mainland corporates. In turn, they gave Chinese firms a chance to tap up global investors while swerving the need to sell shares in New York – a handy bonus given the threat of rising Sino-US tensions.

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