CASH (Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong) is a non-profit collective rights management organization incorporated in 1977 that administers the public performance, mechanical, and digital online rights of musical works in Hong Kong. It represents local composers and authors and manages the world repertoire through reciprocal representation agreements with over 80 overseas affiliated societies.
How CASH Works
CASH operates as a company limited by guarantee without share capital. It began operations on October 1, 1977, and is a member of CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers).
CASH issues several types of licenses:
- Public Performance Licenses for retail shops, restaurants, shopping centers, concert venues, and any non-domestic space where music is played publicly
- Broadcasting Licenses for radio and TV broadcasters operating in or transmitting from Hong Kong
- Mechanical Licenses for record companies and karaoke servers that reproduce musical works
- Digital Online Licenses for companies or individuals making copyrighted lyrics and melodies available on internet or mobile platforms accessible in Hong Kong
- Karaoke Server Reproduction Licenses issued as the exclusive agent for the Music Publishers Association of Hong Kong
CASH collects license fees from these users and distributes royalties to copyright owners based on performance data from licensees and member notifications. Royalties are classified into three categories: performing royalties (from broadcasters, concerts, retail), mechanical royalties (from record companies and karaoke), and digital online royalties (from streaming and download services).
CASH also administers the CASH Music Fund, which sponsors local organizations to commission composers and supports music-related activities and educational projects. In 2025, CASH co-organized the Greater Bay Area Song Writers Quest with MCSC (Music Copyright Society of China) and MACA (Macau Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers) to promote music creation across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.
Real-World Example
A Hong Kong composer affiliates with CASH and registers 15 songs. A local retail chain plays those songs across 50 stores in Hong Kong. The chain must obtain a CASH Public Performance License to legally play copyrighted music. CASH collects the license fee, deducts administrative costs, and distributes the remainder to the composer based on which works were performed.
If a Hong Kong radio station broadcasts one of those songs, the station pays CASH a broadcasting license fee. CASH logs the performance data and pays the composer a proportional share of the collected royalties. If the same song is streamed on a digital platform accessible in Hong Kong, the platform pays CASH a digital online license fee, generating additional royalties for the composer.
For overseas performances, CASH's reciprocal agreements with over 80 international societies mean that if the composer's songs are performed in Japan, for example, JASRAC (the Japanese PRO) collects the royalties and forwards them to CASH, which then pays the composer.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
If you are a composer or author based in Hong Kong (or your works are performed, broadcast, or distributed there), CASH is the primary organization collecting your royalties. Without CASH affiliation, you earn nothing from public performances, radio play, streaming, or mechanical reproduction of your music in Hong Kong territory.
Register your works with CASH as soon as they are commercially released. CASH's reciprocal agreements with over 80 overseas societies mean that your works are also protected internationally. If your music is performed in any of those 80-plus territories, the local society collects royalties and routes them back to you through CASH.
CASH only grants licenses for events and uses within Hong Kong territory. If you are organizing events outside Hong Kong, contact the corresponding local society directly. For churches and non-profit organizations, copyright exemptions may apply under Sections 43 and 76 of the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) for performances benefiting charities, religious advancement, education, or social welfare.
Territory Covered
CASH administers public performance, mechanical, and digital online rights for musical works within Hong Kong. The organization grants licenses only for events and uses within Hong Kong territory. For events held outside Hong Kong, users must contact the corresponding local society directly.
CASH administers the world repertoire in Hong Kong through reciprocal representation agreements with over 80 overseas affiliated societies. This means CASH can license the performance, broadcast, mechanical reproduction, and digital distribution of musical works from creators worldwide within Hong Kong territory.
Membership and Fees
CASH does not charge a subscription fee or annual fee. Membership is free. A new member is admitted as an Associate Member upon joining. Once a member receives royalties, they become a Full Member for that calendar year.
CASH reported 5,085 members as of recent data. Members include composers, lyric authors, and music publishers based in Hong Kong. Membership requires assignment of performing rights to CASH through a Deed of Assignment.
Copyright exemptions may apply under Sections 43 and 76 of the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) for performances benefiting charities, religious advancement, education, or social welfare.
Overhead Rate
CASH deducts approximately 20% in administrative costs from collected royalties before distribution. This rate was confirmed in documents submitted to the Hong Kong Legislative Council. The remaining 80% is distributed to copyright owners based on performance data from licensees and member notifications.
The administrative cost covers CASH's licensing operations, monitoring, data processing, and organizational overhead. CASH operates as a non-profit company limited by guarantee without share capital.
Royalty Distribution Schedule
CASH distributes royalties on a quarterly schedule. The distribution calendar covers four periods:
- March: Distribution for royalties received in the prior period
- June: Distribution for royalties received in the prior period
- September: Distribution for royalties received in the prior period
- December: Distribution for royalties received in the prior period
Hong Kong performing and mechanical royalties are distributed twice per year (June and December). Hong Kong and regional digital online royalties are distributed quarterly (March, June, September, December). Overseas performing, digital online, and mechanical royalties are distributed once per year (December).
Royalty distribution is based on public performance data received from CASH licensees and notifications from CASH members.
Reciprocal Agreements
CASH has signed reciprocal representation agreements with over 80 overseas affiliated societies. These agreements empower CASH to administer the performing rights of more than 1.65 million composers and authors across 137 territories and countries worldwide.
CASH is a member of CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers). The organization also co-organizes cross-border music initiatives, including the Greater Bay Area Song Writers Quest with MCSC (Music Copyright Society of China) and MACA (Macau Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers).
When a Hong Kong composer's songs are performed in Japan, JASRAC collects the royalties and forwards them to CASH. The reverse applies for Japanese works performed in Hong Kong.
Notable Members
CASH members include prominent figures in Hong Kong's music industry:
- Alan Tam - "Principal" of the Hong Kong music industry. Music Ambassador of CASH. Received the CASH Hall of Fame Award in 2007. Career spanning over 40 years with 28 songs topping the RTHK Chinese Pop Chart.
- George Lam (Lin Tsz-cheung) - Cantopop singer, songwriter, and composer. Career spanning four decades. Two of his compositions won Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards in 1980.
- Anthony Lun (Lun Wing-leung) - Hong Kong songwriter, arranger, and musical director. Composed over 300 songs between 1989 and 1997 with 42 number 1 hits.
- Joseph Koo (Ku Kar-wui) - Legendary film and TV composer. Composed theme songs for TVB drama series including "The Bund" (1980). Studied at Berklee College of Music.
- Cheng Kok-kong - First-generation Cantopop lyricist. Over 2,000 works to his credit. Played a significant role in establishing the golden age of Cantopop in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Terence Lam (Lam Ka-him) - Contemporary Hong Kong composer, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Composed hits for Eason Chan, Hins Cheung, Joey Yung, and others.
- Johnny Yim (Yim Lai-hang) - Hong Kong pianist, composer, arranger, and producer. Won the 16th CASH Songwriting Quest in 2004. Music director for TVB's Stars Academy.
- C AllStar - Local pop music group awarded the CASH Golden Sail Music Awards Best Vocal Collaborations in 2011.
CASH vs Other Organizations
| Feature | CASH | MCSC | JASRAC | COMPASS | KOMCA | MUST | MACP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Territory | Hong Kong | China | Japan | Singapore | South Korea | Taiwan | Malaysia |
| Rights type | Performance, mechanical, digital | Performance, mechanical | Performance, mechanical | Performance, mechanical | Performance, mechanical | Performance, mechanical | Performance, mechanical |
| Overhead rate | ~20% | Not disclosed | ~10-15% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Join fee | Free | Not disclosed | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Annual fee | None | Not disclosed | None | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Members | 5,085 | ~15,000 | ~1,000,000 | ~3,000 | ~30,000 | ~8,000 | ~10,000 |
| CISAC member | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Videos
Compare CASH with Other PROs
- MCSC - Music Copyright Society of China
- JASRAC - Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers
- COMPASS - Composers and Authors Society of Singapore
- KOMCA - Korea Music Copyright Association
- MUST - Music Copyright Society of Taiwan
- MACP - Music Authors' Copyright Protection (Malaysia)
- CISAC - International umbrella organization for authors' societies
Related Resources
- Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
- Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
- Mechanical Royalties - Understanding mechanical rights administered by CASH
- Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How collective rights management works globally
- Blanket License - The licensing model used by CASH
- Copyright - The legal foundation for music rights in Hong Kong
- CASH Official Website - Visit CASH for membership and licensing details
- Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital streaming earnings
