Hong Kong stands as a pillar of financial stability and innovation, attracting businesses and individuals worldwide with its dynamic banking environment.
The city's banking sector is overseen by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), ensuring a secure and efficient banking experience for all.
This guide presents an exhaustive list of banks in Hong Kong, categorised by their licensing under the HKMA's three-tier system.
The Full List by Category
Licenced Banks
Licenced Banks (LBs) in Hong Kong are fully-fledged financial institutions authorized to conduct a comprehensive range of banking business.
They are the cornerstone of Hong Kong's financial system, providing full banking services to customers.
💡 Tip: We’ve also compiled an exhaustive list of bank codes.
List of Licenced Banks Incorporated in Hong Kong
- Airstar Bank Limited
- Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited
- Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited
- The Bank of East Asia, Limited
- China CITIC Bank International Limited
- China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited
- Chiyu Banking Corporation Limited
- Chong Hing Bank Limited
- Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited
- CMB Wing Lung Bank Limited
- Dah Sing Bank, Limited
- DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Fubon Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Fusion Bank Limited
- Hang Seng Bank, Limited
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited
- livi Bank Limited
- Morgan Stanley Bank Asia Limited
- Mox Bank Limited
- Nanyang Commercial Bank, Limited
- OCBC Wing Hang Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Ping An OneConnect Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Public Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited
- Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
- Tai Sang Bank Limited
- Tai Yau Bank, Limited
- WeLab Bank Limited
- ZA Bank Limited
List of Licenced Banks Incorporated Outside of Hong Kong
- Agricultural Bank of China Limited
- Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited
- Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.
- Banco Santander, S.A.
- Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited
- Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG (also known as Banque J. Safra Sarasin SA, Banca J. Safra Sarasin SA, Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd)
- Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd.
- Bank of America, National Association
- Bank of China Limited
- Bank of Communications Co., Ltd.
- Bank of Dongguan Co., Ltd.
- Bank of India
- Bank of Montreal
- The Bank of New York Mellon
- The Bank of Nova Scotia
- Bank of Singapore Limited
- Bank of Taiwan
- Bank Sinopac
- Banque Pictet & Cie SA
- Barclays Bank PLC
- BDO Unibank, Inc. (also known as BDO, BDO Unibank, BDO De Oro, Banco de Oro Unibank, BDO Banco de Oro)
- BNP Paribas
- CA Indosuez (Switzerland) SA
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
- Cathay Bank
- Cathay United Bank Company, Limited
- Chang Hwa Commercial Bank, Ltd.
- The Chiba Bank, Ltd.
- China Bohai Bank Co., Ltd.
- China CITIC Bank Corporation Limited
- China Construction Bank Corporation
- China Development Bank
- China Everbright Bank Co., Ltd.
- China Guangfa Bank Co., Ltd.
- China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd.
- China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd.
- China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd.
- The Chugoku Bank, Ltd.
- CIMB Bank Berhad
- Citibank, N.A.
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A.
- Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
- Credit Industriel et Commercial
- Credit Suisse AG
- CTBC Bank Co., Ltd.
- DBS Bank Ltd.
- Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft
- DZ Bank AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank, Frankfurt am Main
- E.Sun Commercial Bank, Ltd.
- East West Bank
- EFG Bank AG (also known as EFG Bank SA, EFG Bank Ltd)
- Erste Group Bank AG
- Far Eastern International Bank
- First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC
- First Commercial Bank, Ltd.
- HDFC Bank Limited
- Hong Leong Bank Berhad
- HSBC Bank PLC
- HSBC Bank USA, National Association
- Hua Nan Commercial Bank, Ltd.
- Hua Xia Bank Co., Limited
- ICICI Bank Limited
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited
- Industrial Bank Co., Ltd.
- Industrial Bank of Korea
- ING Bank N.V.
- Intesa Sanpaolo SPA
- JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
- KBC Bank N.V.
- KEB Hana Bank
- Kookmin Bank
- Land Bank of Taiwan Co., Ltd.
- LGT Bank AG (also known as LGT Bank Ltd, LGT Bank SA)
- Malayan Banking Berhad
- Mashreq Bank - Public Shareholding Company (also known as Mashreqbank PSC)
- Mega International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
- Melli Bank PLC
- Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
- Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
- MUFG Bank, Ltd.
- National Australia Bank Limited
- National Bank of Pakistan
- Natixis
- NongHyup Bank
- O-Bank Co., Ltd.
- Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited
- Philippine National Bank
- Ping An Bank Co., Ltd.
- PT. Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.
- Qatar National Bank (Q.P.S.C.)
- Royal Bank of Canada
- The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, Ltd.
- Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co., Ltd.
- The Shiga Bank, Ltd.
- Shinhan Bank
- The Shizuoka Bank, Ltd.
- Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB
- Societe Generale
- Standard Chartered Bank
- State Bank of India
- State Street Bank and Trust Company
- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
- Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
- Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
- Taishin International Bank Co., Ltd
- Taiwan Business Bank, Ltd.
- Taiwan Cooperative Bank, Ltd.
- Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
- Toronto-Dominion Bank
- UBS AG
- UCO Bank
- UniCredit Bank AG
- Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA (also known as United Private Bank, UBP Ltd)
- United Overseas Bank Ltd.
- Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
- Woori Bank
- Yuanta Commercial Bank Co., Ltd
Restricted Licence Banks
Restricted Licence Banks (RLBs) are specialized institutions in Hong Kong, focusing primarily on merchant banking and capital markets.
They accept deposits of HKD 500,000 or more, catering to a relatively niche market with their banking services.
List of Restricted Licence Banks Incorporated in Hong Kong
- Allied Banking Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited
- Banc of America Securities Asia Limited
- Bank of China International Limited
- Bank of Shanghai (Hong Kong) Limited
- Citicorp International Limited
- Goldman Sachs Asia Bank Limited
- Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Limited
- J. P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited
- KDB Asia Limited
- Orix Asia Limited
List of Restricted Licence Banks Incorporated Outside of Hong Kong
- The Access Bank UK Limited
- Euroclear Bank
- Kasikornbank Public Company Limited
- The Korea Development Bank
- PT. Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk
- The Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited
Deposit-Taking Companies
Deposit-taking Companies (DTCs) operate on a smaller scale compared to LBs and RLBs.
They primarily engage in commercial lending and securities businesses, accepting deposits of HKD 100,000 or more with a maturity of 3 months or longer.
💡 Fun Fact: Deposit-taking companies cannot call themselves a bank.
List of Deposit-Taking Companies
- BCOM Finance (Hong Kong) Limited
- BPI International Finance Limited
- Chau's Brothers Finance Company Limited
- Chong Hing Finance Limited
- Corporate Finance (D.T.C.) Limited
- Fubon Credit (Hong Kong) Limited
- KEB Hana Global Finance Limited
- KEXIM Asia Limited
- Public Finance Limited
- Vietnam Finance Company Limited
- Woori Global Markets Asia Limited
The Three-Tier System
The three-tier banking system in Hong Kong was established to categorize banks and financial institutions based on their operational scale and the nature of their banking services.
Consisting of more than 190 authorised institutions, the three-tier banking system aims to classify deposit-taking entities according to the volume and duration of deposits they accept, along with the scope of their business operations.
This categorization ensures a diversified banking sector that supports a wide range of financial needs while promoting healthy competition.
- Licenced Banks offer a full range of banking services, including current and savings accounts, and are the only institutions permitted to use the term "bank" without restriction.
- Restricted Licence Banks focus on merchant banking and capital markets, accepting larger deposits but with a more specialized service offering.
- Deposit-taking companies are typically associated with banks and focus on specific banking services, accepting deposits under more restrictive conditions.
Another Tier - Virtual Banks
Virtual banks are sometimes referred to as neobanks, online banks, or challenger banks, but under the HKMA, virtual banks in Hong Kong are distinct. In 2018, virtual banks were officially recognized as a distinct subcategory of licenced banks.
This is the complete list of virtual banks in Hong Kong:
Neobanks
While virtual banks are an officially designated authorised institution, neobanks is not an official term, but it is worth mentioning here due to its relevance.
Neobanks usually operate like other deposit-taking entities and money service providers offering payment solutions.
Neobanks are sometimes also called challenger banks or simply referred to as fintech companies offering financial services.
It is difficult to create an exhaustive list of neobanks in Hong Kong because there is no official definition of them. In fact, they are not even allowed to use the word “bank” to describe themselves. That said, here are a few examples of what one might consider a neobank, despite them not being a bank:
FAQs
What Is the Most Reliable Bank in Hong Kong?
The reliability of a bank in Hong Kong can be assessed by its compliance with HKMA regulations, financial stability, and customer service quality. Major banks like HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), and Standard Chartered are often noted for their reliability.
What Is the Most Common Bank in Hong Kong?
How Many Licenced Banks Are There in Hong Kong?
Which Bank Is Best for Foreigners in Hong Kong?
Are Foreign Banks Allowed to Operate in Hong Kong?
