Hong Kong Businesses Must Learn to Register for DingTalk International Email: Five Preparations to Enhance Cross-border Collaboration Security

What Is DingTalk International and Its Value for Hong Kong Businesses

DingTalk International, launched by Alibaba Group, is a cross-border enterprise collaboration platform designed specifically for markets outside mainland China. Hosted on servers in Singapore, it supports an English interface and complies with GDPR regulations, making it ideal for Hong Kong businesses engaged in Southeast Asia and Western markets where data privacy is a priority.

• The data center is located in Singapore, meeting international data transfer standards and avoiding conflicts with mainland regulations, thereby ensuring the security of corporate communications.
• The platform primarily features an English interface, with support for Traditional Chinese, Malay, Thai, and other languages, reducing barriers for multinational teams.
• According to 2024 Statista statistics, over 15 million active business users worldwide have adopted this platform, reflecting its high acceptance in global markets.

The platform fully adheres to GDPR and ISO 27001 information security management standards. All communication content, file storage, and approval processes are end-to-end encrypted, making it especially suitable for high-sensitivity sectors such as finance, trade, and technology services.

In addition, DingTalk International includes built-in video conferencing, task management, and bot integration features that seamlessly connect with commonly used tools like Slack and Google Workspace, creating a unified work hub. When a Hong Kong headquarters collaborates with subsidiaries in Malaysia or clients in Germany, the system automatically detects time zone differences and provides real-time translation, significantly reducing communication friction.

Five Essential Corporate Documents Required Before Registration

Prior to successfully completing DingTalk International email registration, Hong Kong businesses must prepare five key documents to pass identity verification and compliance checks. These details directly affect account activation speed and subsequent permission settings.

• Copy of Business Registration Certificate (BR Number): A valid document issued by the Inland Revenue Department, clearly showing the company name, number, and validity period, in accordance with updated guidelines from DingTalk effective March 2025.
• Valid Hong Kong office address: Virtual offices or postal boxes are not accepted; the system cross-checks against government public records to verify business authenticity.
• Administrator's personal email and phone number: Use a company domain email (e.g., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to enhance professionalism and prevent verification emails from being flagged as spam.
• Identification of at least one director: Scanned copies of HKID or passport are accepted to bind the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO), complying with anti-money laundering regulations.
• Expected number of users: Determines the recommended plan tier (Standard/Pro/Enterprise) and triggers corresponding security audit mechanisms.

Under the latest verification process, applicants must complete email confirmation within 72 hours after submission; otherwise, the application will expire automatically. This mechanism prevents account abuse and maintains platform ecosystem security.

Step-by-Step Guide to Online Registration and Email Setup

The registration process consists of six steps and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Hong Kong businesses only need their business registration certificate and administrator details to begin the DingTalk International registration via the official website, which supports both Traditional Chinese and multiple language options.

1. Visit the official international site https://www.dingtalk.com/intl and confirm the page displays "Global Version" to avoid accidentally accessing the mainland China server version.
2. Click the "Sign Up for Free" button and select "Company Account"—personal accounts cannot activate enterprise email functions.
3. Enter your company’s legal name (matching the business registration), industry sector, and employee size—this information influences directory structure design.
4. Designate an administrator and enter their corporate email address. Avoid using Gmail or free email providers to prevent delays in receiving verification messages.
5. After receiving the verification code, upload a clear scanned copy of the business registration certificate, ensuring it includes the issue date and current validity status. The system performs automatic OCR comparison.
<6>Set up your subdomain format, such as @yourcompany.hk.dingtalk.com. This becomes the foundation for future email addresses and cannot be changed once confirmed—plan ahead to allow room for brand expansion.

It is recommended to take a screenshot during step five ("Document Upload Page") as the interface now includes AI-powered pre-review prompts that provide instant feedback on errors. According to the 2023 Southeast Asia Enterprise IT Deployment Report, companies that pre-plan their subdomains experience a 40% improvement in email activation efficiency.

How to Activate Enterprise Email and Customize Your Domain

Activating DingTalk International email requires DNS record configuration to verify ownership of your custom domain—a critical technical step for achieving unified brand communication.

After completing basic registration, log in to the DingTalk International admin console, navigate to the "Mail Settings" page, and select "Add Custom Domain" to start the binding process. The system will automatically generate unique CNAME and MX record values.

• Add the provided CNAME record to verify domain ownership
• Configure the specified MX record to direct mail to DingTalk’s email servers
• Save settings and wait for propagation, typically taking 12 to 48 hours

According to data from the *DingTalk International Technical White Paper (Q1 2025)*, approximately 68% of registered Hong Kong businesses now use customized domain emails, primarily to strengthen brand consistency and meet ISO 27001 audit requirements.

Upon successful activation, immediately conduct test email sending and optimize SPF records (set as v=spf1 include:_spf.dingtalk.com ~all) to reduce the risk of emails being marked as spam, laying a stable foundation for cross-border collaboration.

Common Issues and Cross-Border Usage Considerations

When using DingTalk International email across borders, Hong Kong businesses most frequently encounter three issues: email delays, two-factor authentication failures, and incompatibility with mainland DingTalk accounts—all of which can be resolved through proper configuration.

To address email delays, first check for interference from third-party filters and verify that the SPF record is correctly set to v=spf1 include:_spf.dingtalk.com ~all. According to the Q3 Enterprise Communications Report, over 70% of delays stem from incorrect DNS configurations.

For two-factor authentication failures, the main cause is unstable international SMS delivery. It is recommended to switch to TOTP-based authenticator apps (such as Google Authenticator), which can generate codes even without internet access, improving reliability.

Regarding incompatibility with mainland DingTalk accounts, it is important to understand that the international and Chinese versions operate on entirely separate ecosystems, with servers located in Singapore and Germany. Files and chat histories cannot be synchronized between them—an intentional design compliant with GDPR and Hong Kong's Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

According to guidance from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong, if employee communication records are stored, written consent must be obtained beforehand, and a data retention policy established. Failure to do so may violate Principle 1(3) on “Purpose Limitation,” posing compliance risks.

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