Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong

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.

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