Pawnbroking was a trade brought to Singapore by the early Chinese immigrants, with the industry being largely dominated by the Hakkas. The first pawnshop was opened by Lan Qiu Shan at Jalan Bukit Merah, called Sheng He Dang in 1872. A government licensing system for pawnbrokers was established as early as 1822 during the administration of William Farquhar and re-established in 1889. Further regulations to govern the industry were passed in 1898 with the implementation of the Pawnbrokers Ordinance. The industry grew steadily in the pre- and post-war periods. As of September 2011, there are about 172 registered pawnshops in Singapore.
