By Lee, founder of leodesign
Short answer: as a freelance designer in Hong Kong, send a short signed contract first, then invoices in HKD that show how to pay you by FPS (轉數快): your FPS ID, registered mobile number or email, and your FPS QR code, plus bank details as a fallback. Ask for a deposit before work starts, and write down revisions, copyright and late-payment terms. Leostu lets you put your own payment details and QR codes on the invoice. It doesn't connect to FPS or collect money for you.
Checklist before you start a job
- Signed contract: scope, deliverables, revision rounds, timeline, deposit, payment terms, copyright/usage, cancellation
- Deposit invoice and balance invoice in HKD
- FPS proxy (FPS ID / mobile / email) and your FPS QR, plus bank account details
- Due date and a written late-payment term
- A record of who signed which version, and when
Getting paid in Hong Kong: FPS (轉數快) and bank transfer
What FPS is. The HKMA describes the Faster Payment System as a platform connecting banks and stored-value facility (SVF) operators. Customers can transfer across banks and e-wallets 24x7, in HKD or RMB, with almost real-time settlement (actual time depends on the bank or SVF). As of Nov 2026, the HKMA page says payers only need the payee's mobile number or email address.
How clients find you. HKICL's FPS FAQ says you can register your mobile number or email address with a bank or SVF e-wallet, or ask for an FPS ID, a 7- or 9-digit number generated by the system and linked to one account. Payers then enter that proxy to pay you. Without a registered proxy, they need your name, bank and account number. An FPS ID is handy on invoices if you'd rather not publish your personal phone number.
FPS QR codes and privacy. The HKMA notes that your FPS QR code may contain your registered proxy (mobile number, email or FPS ID), and anyone who scans it can read that. Only share it with clients who need it. Putting it on an invoice sent through a private link is a reasonable middle ground. The HKMA also tells payers to check the payee's masked name and the amount before confirming, so mention your account name on the invoice.
Bank transfer. Always list account name, bank and account number. Corporate clients often pay in scheduled batches.
Practical tip: ask clients to put the invoice number in the payment reference ("INV-031 deposit") so you can match payments quickly.
Contract basics for Hong Kong freelance designers
Short and clear beats long and vague. Agree these points in writing before you start:
Scope and deliverables. What exactly you'll deliver, in which formats, and how many concepts. Anything outside that is quoted separately.
Deposit. Ask for a deposit, often 30–50%, before work begins. Release final, editable files once the balance is paid.
Revisions. Include a set number of rounds and a price for extras. Define a round as one consolidated set of feedback.
Copyright and licensing. State whether the client gets an assignment or a licence, for what uses (print, digital, packaging, advertising), and when it takes effect. A common approach is that rights pass on full payment. Keep your portfolio rights unless agreed otherwise.
Payment terms and late payment. Set a due date and say what happens if it's missed: work pauses, files are held back, and any late fee or interest you've both agreed to, written as an exact figure.
Cancellation. If the project is cancelled midway, the deposit is usually kept and completed work is billed.
Language. Many Hong Kong clients prefer Chinese. If you have both an English and a Chinese version, make sure they match and say which one governs if they differ.
Draft the clauses free with the design contract generator. It runs in your browser, no sign-up.
What to put on a Hong Kong freelance design invoice
- Your name or business name and contact details (and business registration details if you have them)
- Client name and billing company
- Invoice number, issue date, due date
- Line items with amounts in HKD
- Deposit or balance, and amount already received
- How to pay: FPS ID / registered mobile or email, FPS QR, bank account name and number
- Payment terms in one or two lines
The free designer invoice generator builds a clean invoice you can print to PDF, no account needed.
How Leostu fits this workflow
Leostu is an order desk for independent designers and small studios. Create an order and it generates the contract and invoice together. Send the client one link and an access code. They read and sign by hand on their phone, with no account and no install, and you get an email when they sign.
- Your payment details and QR codes on the invoice. Leostu invoices show your own payment details and QR codes: bank, WeChat Pay, Alipay, DuitNow, PayNow, PayPal and more. For Hong Kong clients, you can put your FPS details in your payment information and show your FPS QR as one of your payment QR codes. Leostu doesn't connect to FPS. Clients pay you directly, and money never passes through Leostu.
- English and Chinese contracts for the same order. Useful when the client's team reads Chinese.
- Deposit and balance tracked separately, with 30/40/50/60% or pay-in-full options and a "who owes you" list.
- Pre-written reminders for the deposit, the balance and a thank-you, polite or direct, in the document's language, showing days elapsed.
- Signing record: name, hand-drawn signature, time, IP and contract fingerprint, flagged if the contract changes after signing. Not a CA-certified e-signature, and legal weight depends on the jurisdiction.
- Currency per order (14 supported), and stats never mix currencies.
Free for 3 active orders at a time. Pro is $3.75/month billed yearly, with a 14-day trial and no card. Pricing is also shown in HKD. See pricing.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check the HKMA, HKICL and your bank for current FPS details, and get professional advice for your situation.