How to become a pawnbroker or money-lender
Official title: Pawnbrokers and money-lenders
Also called: Money-lender, Pawnbroker
Pawnbrokers and money-lenders lend money against articles deposited as pledges, or against property or other security.
Main tasks
- Evaluating articles offered as pledges, calculating interest, and lending money
- Returning articles when the loan is paid or, in the event of non-payment, selling pledged articles
- Lending money as personal loans against success of future harvest and other similar undertakings
- Collecting loans when the pledge involved the success of future harvest and other similar undertakings
- Keeping a record of items received and money distributed and received.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: HK$19,600 a month
- About 455,200 people in 2025, and about 412,000 projected by 2028. (-9.5%)
- Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Debt-collectors and related workers
- Bookmakers, croupiers and related gaming workers
- Bank tellers and related clerks
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Questions people ask
Do you need a degree to become a pawnbroker or money-lender?
Not always. 25% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a pawnbroker or money-lender?
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Census and Statistics Department (Annual Earnings and Hours Survey): Monthly and hourly wage percentiles by occupational group (5 groups) (Tables 220-23014, 220-23024, 220-23003) (2025 (May to June 2025), released 2026-03-23), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026