HSBC Holdings PLC

HSBC Holdings plc is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, maintaining historical and operational ties to East Asia alongside a multinational presence. As of September 2024, it ranks as the largest Europe-based bank by total assets, surpassing BNP Paribas, with assets amounting to US$3.098 trillion. This positions HSBC as the 7th largest bank globally, following Bank of America, and as the 3rd largest non-state-owned bank worldwide.

By 2021, HSBC reported $10.8 trillion in assets under custody and $4.9 trillion in assets under administration.

The bank's origins can be traced back to a hong trading house established in British Hong Kong. It was founded in 1865 in Hong Kong, with branch openings in Shanghai during the same year, and was formally incorporated in 1866. In 1991, the current parent entity, HSBC Holdings plc, was formed in London, turning the historic Hong Kong-based bank from which it derived its name into a wholly-owned subsidiary. The following year, HSBC acquired Midland Bank, making it one of the largest domestic banks in the United Kingdom.

Today, HSBC operates offices, branches, and subsidiaries across 62 countries and territories throughout Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America, serving approximately 39 million customers. HSBC maintains a dual primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, being a constituent of both the Hang Seng Index and the FTSE 100 Index, with additional listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange.