New for 2026 · Registration opens Sep 1

Business & Finance.
Asia's Stage.

Asia International Business & Finance Challenge

Two tracks. One competition. Secondary students across Asia test their financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and business thinking — then pitch live in Hong Kong.

Track 1

Grades 7–9

Financial Literacy

30 MCQ exam · 45 min · Quiz bowl finals at Cyberport

Early bird / team

$65

Track 2

Grades 10–12

Entrepreneurship

MCQ + 300-word response · 8-min live pitch finals

Early bird / team

$65

Portfolio Pathway

All grades · Individual

University Credential Certificate

Individual pathway · personal portfolio · credential certificate for university applications

Early bird / student

$85

Competition tracks

Gr 7–12

All secondary grades

Finals at Cyberport

Dec 4–6

Finals week 2026

Competition tracks

Three pathways.
One event.

A-IBFC is built around two distinct competitive tracks and one individual credential pathway. Each is designed for a specific age group and skill set — students never compete outside their track.

Track 1

Financial Literacy Challenge

Grades 7–9 · Ages 12–15

Teams of 2–4 students demonstrate mastery of real-world financial concepts: budgeting, saving, investing, banking, insurance, and economic reasoning in an ASEAN context.

Online qualifying round: 30 MCQ · 45 minutes · team submission · November 2026

HK Finals: Live quiz bowl format at Cyberport — top teams per country compete head-to-head

Topics: Personal finance, ASEAN banking systems, budgeting, investing fundamentals, economic literacy

Early bird (ends Sep 30)

Standard: $75/team

$65/team

Track 2

Entrepreneurship Challenge

Grades 10–12 · Ages 15–18

Teams develop a real business idea for an ASEAN market. The qualifying round tests business knowledge and written reasoning. Finalists pitch their venture live to a panel of judges in Hong Kong.

Online qualifying: 20 MCQ + 300-word business response · November 2026

HK Finals: 8-minute live pitch to judges at Cyberport · Q&A included

Topics: Business models, market analysis, ASEAN entrepreneurship, innovation, financial projections

Early bird (ends Sep 30)

Standard: $75/team

$65/team

Portfolio Pathway

Individual Credential Certificate

All grades 7–12 · Individual entry

Not competing as a team? The Portfolio Pathway lets individual students build a documented record of business and financial knowledge — culminating in a credential certificate designed for university applications and CVs.

Complete both qualifying tracks independently at your own pace

Build a personal evidence portfolio with assessments and written responses

Receive a university-suitable credential certificate from Emerald Horizon Ventures

Early bird (ends Sep 30)

Standard: $95/student

$85/student

What you receive

Official credential certificate from EHV (Hong Kong-incorporated company)

Documented business & finance competencies for university applications

Personal portfolio of assessments and written work

Suitable for Common App, UCAS, and Asian university applications

Participation in the global A-IBFC community and results announcement

Competition format

How it works

A two-round structure — an online qualifying exam in November, followed by live finals at Cyberport in December for the top-ranked teams.

💰

Track 1

Financial Literacy

Round 1 — Online · November 2026

30-question multiple choice exam

45 minutes · Teams of 2–4 · Administered via Classmarker · Topics cover personal finance, banking, investing, budgeting, and ASEAN economic contexts

↓

Round 2 — Live Finals · December 4–6, Hong Kong

Quiz bowl at Cyberport

Top-ranked teams from qualifying compete head-to-head in a live quiz bowl format. Teams answer rapid-fire financial questions on stage. Winners decided in front of a live audience.

🚀

Track 2

Entrepreneurship

Round 1 — Online · November 2026

MCQ + 300-word business response

20 multiple choice questions on business fundamentals + one 300-word written response proposing a business solution to a real ASEAN market problem. Judged on clarity, feasibility, and market understanding.

↓

Round 2 — Live Finals · December 4–6, Hong Kong

8-minute pitch to judges

Finalist teams present their business concept to a panel of judges at Cyberport. 8-minute presentation + Q&A. Judged on market analysis, business model viability, presentation quality, and team dynamics.

💡 Preparation resources available from September 1: Quizlet study sets, Kahoot practice games, 3 full practice exams per track with answer keys, weekly question of the week (September–November), and a downloadable teacher resource pack.

Awards & recognition

Win recognition that opens doors.

Awards are given separately for each track and each round — so Track 1 and Track 2 winners never compete against each other.

🥇

First Place

Gold Award

Gold award certificate + trophy

Featured in EHV publication

Social media feature

Live ceremony at Cyberport

🥈

Second Place

Silver Award

Silver award certificate

Name in competition catalogue

Digital recognition package

🥉

Third Place

Bronze Award

Bronze award certificate

Name in competition catalogue

Digital certificate

📜

All participants

Participation Certificate

Every team that submits receives a certificate

Suitable for school records & portfolios

Awarded per track: Track 1 (Financial Literacy) and Track 2 (Entrepreneurship) have completely separate award pools. Gold, Silver, and Bronze are awarded independently in each track. Portfolio Pathway students receive a separate credential certificate regardless of competitive rank.

Entry fees

Simple, transparent pricing

Teams of 2–4 students for Track 1 and 2. Individual entry for Portfolio Pathway. Early bird saves $10 across all tracks.

Track 1 — Financial Literacy

Team Registration

$65

Early bird

Standard rate: $75/team · from Oct 1

Team of 2–4 students · Grades 7–9

Online qualifying exam access (Classmarker)

Participation certificate for all team members

Finalist invitation to Hong Kong if qualified

Practice materials from September 1

Who can enter

🎓

Grades 7–12 worldwide

Any secondary school student globally. Track 1 is for Grades 7–9; Track 2 for Grades 10–12. Portfolio Pathway is open to all grades.

👥

Teams of 2–4 students

Track 1 and Track 2 are team entries. Teams must be from the same school. Mixed-grade teams are allowed within the grade band for each track.

🌏

Any country, any school

Open to international, national, and private schools worldwide. We especially welcome entries from ASEAN, South Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia.

📚

No prior experience required

First-time competitors are welcome. Practice exams, Quizlet sets, and teacher resources are available from September 1 to help all teams prepare.

🏫

Multiple teams per school

Schools can enter as many teams as they want across both tracks. Each team registers and competes independently.

✈️

Finals travel is optional

Teams that qualify for HK finals are strongly encouraged to attend, but virtual participation in the awards ceremony is available for teams that cannot travel.

Finals venue

Hong Kong. December 2026.

📍

Venue

Cyberport, Hong Kong SAR

📅

Finals dates

December 4–6, 2026

🎤

Finals schedule

Dec 4 — Arrivals + registration
Dec 5 — Quiz bowl + pitches + judging
Dec 6 — Joint awards ceremony + departures

🌍

Co-located events

A-ISPC 2026 (AI & Science) and Emerald Prize (Art) run simultaneously — 300+ students from 30+ countries in one venue

Cyberport is Hong Kong's government-backed technology and innovation hub — a venue that gives the competition genuine prestige and credibility with universities and sponsors.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know

Can a student enter both Track 1 and Track 2?

No — students enter either Track 1 (Financial Literacy, Gr 7–9) or Track 2 (Entrepreneurship, Gr 10–12) based on their grade. A student in Grade 9 is in Track 1; Grade 10 is Track 2.

Can a school enter both tracks simultaneously?

Yes. Schools can and should enter teams in both tracks — one team for Track 1 from lower secondary and another for Track 2 from upper secondary. These are completely separate registrations.

What is the team size for Track 1 and Track 2?

Teams of 2–4 students for both tracks. All team members must be enrolled in the same school. Mixed grades are allowed within the specified grade range for each track.

What does the Portfolio Pathway certificate look like?

It is a formal certificate issued by Emerald Horizon Ventures Limited (Hong Kong SAR) documenting the student's participation and performance across both qualifying assessments. Suitable for university applications.

What platform is used for the online qualifying exam?

Classmarker — a professional online exam platform. Schools receive a coordinator link. Students complete the exam during a specified window in November 2026. No special software installation required.

How are Track 2 pitch finalists selected?

Qualifying round scores (MCQ + written response) are ranked by country/region. Top teams per region receive an invitation to the Hong Kong finals. Judging criteria for written responses include clarity, market insight, and feasibility.

Business & Finance.
Asia's Stage.

Three pathways.
One event.

How it works

Win recognition that opens doors.

Your competition calendar

Simple, transparent pricing

Who can enter

Hong Kong. December 2026.

Everything you need to know

Ready to take your business knowledge to Hong Kong?

Business & Finance.Asia's Stage.

Three pathways.One event.

How it works

Win recognition that opens doors.

Your competition calendar

Simple, transparent pricing

Who can enter

Hong Kong. December 2026.

Everything you need to know

Ready to take your business knowledge to Hong Kong?

Business & Finance.
Asia's Stage.

Three pathways.
One event.