Macau launches US$1.2bn loan subsidy scheme to aid local SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to apply for loans until April 22, 2026.
Macau.- The government of Macau has launched a MOP10bn (US$1.2bn) subsidy initiative for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Announced by chief executive Sam Hou Fai in his 2025 Policy Address, the initiative will assist with part of the interest on loans.
The Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) will manage the programme. SMEs can apply for loans until April 22, 2026, with each business owner eligible for up to MOP5m. The government will cover interest at an annual rate of up to 4 per cent for a maximum of three years, with total funding limited to MOP10bn.
To qualify, businesses must be at least 50 per cent owned and run by Macau residents and must be involved in non-public concessions or non-financial activities. The number of full-time and part-time employees across all businesses owned by the same person cannot exceed 100. The company must have been registered with the Financial Services Bureau before April 14, 2025.
Macau receives over 140,000 daily visitors for Easter holiday period
Some 420,099 people visited Macau over the Easter holiday period from April 18 to 20. That’s a rise of 3.47 per cent in year-on-year terms. The city recorded a daily average of just over 140,000 visitor arrivals, with the highest number on Saturday (161,309). In 2024, 406,000 visitors arrived in Macau during the Easter season, from March 29 to April 1.
