As a leading international bank in mainland China, HSBC has leveraged its strong cross-border capabilities and continuous innovation to drive business growth in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), enabling it to secure the best international bank for the GBA award once again.
HSBC’s strategic investments in recent years in the GBA further highlight its commitment to growth and expansion. In January 2025, HSBC officially inaugurated its new office building, HyQ, located in Shenzhen’s Qianhai, with a total investment of approximately US$500 million. Additionally, in June, the HSBC Global Training Center opened in Guangzhou’s Nansha, representing an investment of more than $150 million, designed to provide training for more than 10,000 employees across the Asia-Pacific region each year.
Boasting over six million retail banking customers in Hong Kong, HSBC has capitalised rising cross-border financial activity by attracting approximately 800,000 new retail customers in 2024 – of which nearly two thirds originated from mainland China and the rest from across the world.
The bank has introduced several cross-border solutions, including mobile onboarding for mainland customers to open Hong Kong accounts remotely and remote attestation for Hong Kong customers to access mainland banking services. Its PayMe UnionPay virtual card connects 3.2 million Hong Kong users with more than 30 million merchants in mainland China.
HSBC’s commitment to digital transformation is evident through its introduction of SpeedX, a data-driven solution that reduces cross-border transaction times by up to 75%. The bank has integrated AI into its service offerings, enhancing customer experience through real-time insights and complaint management systems.
HSBC has reinforced its position as a vital financial institution in the GBA
In sustainable finance, HSBC launched a RMB30 billion Green Credit Fund and a $9 billion GBA Sustainability Fund, demonstrating its leadership in environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. It supported green initiatives such as Eve Energy’s HKD3.65 billion syndicated loan and Xpeng’s RMB895 million Green ABS issuance.
The bank supported Zhuhai Huafa Group to issue RMB1.4 billion in digitally native bonds via HSBC Orion, and HSBC Asia Pacific also completed issuance of RMB4.5 billion in Panda Bonds.
Notably, in 2024, HSBC Life set a Guinness World Record with a $250 million life insurance policy for ultra-high-net-worth legacy planning.
HSBC has reinforced its position as a vital financial institution in the GBA, adeptly navigating a rapidly evolving market and serving as a financial bridge between mainland China and global markets.
