Eight exchange-traded funds went public in Hong Kong on Monday -- three of them tracking cross-market indices and the other five tracking themes like robotics, strategic resources and artificial intelligence.

The listings cemented the city’s ETF product ecosystem as the desired diversified investment platform for global investors.

It is the highest number of ETFs to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in a single day so far this year, with 21 ETFs that have gone public this month alone.

The three ETFs tracking cross-market indices are the HKEX Bursa Malaysia Large Cap Index, the HKEX KRX Semiconductor Index and the HKEX Tech & US Tech 100 Index. They are the first investment products based on the three benchmarks launched earlier this year to strengthen connectivity between the special administrative region and key regional and international markets, with the first two indices being part of co-branded partnerships of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing with Bursa Malaysia Berhad and Korea Exchange, respectively.

“Their launch marks an important step in our efforts to connect Hong Kong with international markets by working with exchanges and partners across Asia and beyond to broaden investor choice,” said HKEX Chief Executive Officer Bonnie Chan Yi-ting. “These benchmarks respond to investors’ growing demand for diversification and reinforce Hong Kong’s role as a gateway linking the Chinese Mainland with the world.”

By spurring product innovation, facilitating capital flows and creating opportunities for issuers, asset managers and investors, HKEX supports the development of a multi-asset ecosystem in the SAR, she said.

The three cross-market benchmarks adopt a 60/40 weighting design, with about 60 percent allocated to Hong Kong-listed securities and 40 percent to overseas securities, supporting the eligibility of ETFs tracking the indices for potential inclusion under the Southbound Stock Connect.

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One of the ETFs launched on Monday was Da Cheng International’s ETF tracking the HKEX Bursa Malaysia Large Cap Index. “Bringing together 30 leading listed companies, each from Malaysia and Hong Kong, the index provides investors with a new pathway to access opportunities across both markets, and also elevates the visibility of Malaysian companies among investors in Hong Kong and Chinese mainland,” said Fad’l Mohamed, chief executive officer of Bursa Malaysia.

Buyeon Yi -- president of the KRX futures strategy division of Korea Exchange -- said the latest ETF listings demonstrate how exchanges can combine their expertise in market operations and index development to foster cross-market collaboration and support investors’ regional asset allocation. The index offers a new way to access Asia’s semiconductor ecosystem.”

Bosera Asset Management (International) Co was the first asset manager to launch the ETF tracking the HKEX KRX Semiconductor Index on Monday. Zeng Peng – the asset manager’s chairman of the board, chief executive officer and chief investment officer -- noted that the launch of this ETF marks a major milestone in cross-border financial innovation within Asian capital markets.

Hang Seng Investment Management was the asset manager of the Hang Seng AI Advancement ETF -- the city’s first AI-themed ETF investing exclusively in Hong Kong-listed equities.

“The product reflects Hong Kong’s commitment to providing the market with simple investment tools based on transparent indices and regular reviews, and also demonstrates Hang Seng’s support for building a deeper and more resilient ETF market in Hong Kong,” said Luanne Lim, executive director and chief executive of Hang Seng Bank -- the parent company of Hang Seng Investment Management.

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The listing boom came after the mainland authorities broadened authorized channels for Chinese mainland investors to access foreign assets. Last month, mainland insurance firms were permitted to invest in Hong Kong-listed ETFs through the Southbound Stock Connect program, opening a new route for the sector to bolster investment returns and asset diversification.