Opening a business account for a Hong Kong company: why it is hard and what helps

Two founders in Singapore and London incorporate a Hong Kong company to buy electronics from Shenzhen and sell to retailers in Europe. Incorporation takes three days. The first bank asks for a face-to-face meeting in Hong Kong. The second asks for supplier contracts, customer contracts, a business plan and proof of where the founders' capital came from, then declines.

Why reviews are strict

Hong Kong banks operate under strict anti-money-laundering expectations from the HKMA. A company with overseas owners, no local office and trade flows between mainland China and other countries is exactly the profile banks examine most closely. Some decline cases they cannot easily understand rather than spend months on them.

What reviewers look for

• A clear business model. What you buy, from whom, what you sell, to whom.
• Real counterparties. Contracts or invoices with named suppliers and customers.
• Consistent ownership. The Significant Controllers Register, the annual return (NAR1) and the application must match.
• Substance where possible. An office, local staff or a local director helps.
• Source of funds. Where the capital and first revenues come from.

The file to prepare

1. Certificate of incorporation and business registration certificate.
2. Articles of association and latest NAR1.
3. Significant Controllers Register.
4. Identity and proof of address for each director and controller.
5. A business plan with expected volumes, countries and currencies.
6. Supplier and customer contracts or invoices.

Alternatives

Many Hong Kong companies use licensed stored value facility operators, payment providers or multi-currency platforms, alongside or instead of a traditional bank, especially while waiting for one.

Paying into Hong Kong: the local rail

Source: HKMA: Faster Payment System. Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

Where Rivet fits

A Rivet business account accepts registered companies after verification, including Hong Kong companies with overseas owners, with the document list shown up front and a decision aimed within three business days. Approved companies get US account details on every plan, euro and sterling details from the Growth plan, and on the Scale plan Hong Kong dollar details and balances in 30 currencies. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds.

See the HKD business account guide.