The Macao government announced this morning that the 2025 round of the local wealth distribution programme – known as the Wealth Partaking Scheme – is set to begin from 15 July.
Unlike previous editions, the program, which is aimed at sharing Macao’s vast casino wealth with locals, will institute a new rule that requires residents to have been in the SAR for at least 183 days over the course of one year.
Exceptions are in place for individuals of three categories, including those who were under the age of 22 in 2024 and have a parent who is eligible to receive the 2025 payment. Exemptions also apply to those who are receiving the disability pension or the disability subsidy.
Meanwhile, residents who are outside of Macao, but are in one of eight designated circumstances can apply for the payment by having their time out of the SAR counted towards the required 183 days.
These situations include those who are studying at an overseas tertiary institution, those who are working, living or studying in Hengqin, those who are working in the Greater Bay Area and those aged 65 or above who are living in mainland China.
Individuals in these circumstances have between 18 June 2025 and 31 December 2028 to lodge their claim to the Social Security Fund.
[See more: The ‘wealth partaking’ scheme will continue in 2025, says the chief executive]
No changes have been made to the payment amount, with permanent residents and non-permanent residents set to receive 10,000 patacas and 6,000 patacas respectively.
Residents will be able to see whether or not they are eligible for the payment by checking the Macao One Account app from 3 pm today.
At a press conference this morning, the secretary for administration and justice, Cheong Weng Chon, said that the introduction of the new rule was a response to calls from various sectors in society to optimise the program and was made after gathering the different opinions and referring to the Central Provident Fund’s regulation on special allocation from the government’s budget surplus.
First introduced in 2008, the Wealth Partaking Scheme was originally aimed at helping Macao residents to overcome the inflationary challenges of the financial crisis. Permanent residents received 5,000 patacas during the inaugural edition, while non-permanent residents were entitled to 3,000 patacas.
In subsequent years, the government has adjusted the amount, shifting it to the current figures in 2019.
Approximately 748,000 residents benefited from the cash handout scheme last year.
