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Banks and authorized institutions in Hong Kong

Is a “bank” really a bank? In Hong Kong a corporation needs a licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to operate a banking business or take deposits. This page lists the 174 authorized institutions and 27 local representative offices on the HKMA’s register, the 0 stored value facility licensees on its Register of SVF Licensees, and the hotlines the HKMA lists for authenticating callers who claim to be from a retail bank.

What the register’s types mean

According to the HKMA, any corporation hoping to operate a banking business or a business of taking deposits must obtain a licence issued by the HKMA. Hong Kong maintains a three-tier system of deposit-taking institutions — licensed banks, restricted licence banks and deposit-taking companies — classified according to the amount and term of deposits accepted and the nature of the business, and collectively known as authorized institutions.

  • Licensed banks operate current and savings accounts, accept deposits of any size and maturity from the public, pay or collect cheques drawn by or paid in by customers, and use the name “bank” without restriction.
  • Restricted licence banks are principally engaged in merchant banking and capital market activities, and may take deposits of any maturity of HK$500,000 and above.
  • Deposit-taking companies are mostly owned by, or otherwise associated with, banks; they engage in a range of specialised activities, including consumer finance, commercial lending and securities business, and may take deposits of HK$100,000 or above with an original term of maturity of at least three months.
  • Local representative offices may be established in Hong Kong by banks incorporated outside Hong Kong. The HKMA says these offices are not allowed to engage in any banking business; their role is confined mainly to liaison work with customers in Hong Kong.

Stored value facility (SVF) licensees are granted a licence to issue or facilitate the issue of SVF as defined under the Payment Systems and Stored Value Facilities Ordinance, which requires the HKMA’s Register of SVF Licensees to be available online for inspection by the public. Under the Ordinance a licensed bank is regarded as being granted a licence; the licensees listed here are the ones that are not banks.

How to check an institution

  1. Search for it in the HKMA’s Register of AIs and LROs, or for an SVF licensee in the Register of SVF Licensees.
  2. Compare its name, type and address in Hong Kong with what you were told.

The HKMA updates the register as and when necessary and this site copies it weekly, so the HKMA’s own register is the authority. The tiers are explained on the HKMA’s page about the three-tier banking system.

What is on the list

The list as copied on 2026-10-05
EntriesNumber
Institutions on the two registers201
Licensed banks147
Restricted licence banks16
Deposit-taking companies11
Local representative offices27
Stored value facility (SVF) licensees0
Retail banks with caller-check hotlines on the HKMA’s list0
Institutions in Central and Western District127

Licensed banks 147

Restricted licence banks 16

Deposit-taking companies 11

Local representative offices 27

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many banks are there in Hong Kong?
147 licensed banks, 16 restricted licence banks and 11 deposit-taking companies are on the HKMA’s register of authorized institutions (copied 2026-10-05), plus 27 local representative offices of banks incorporated outside Hong Kong.
What is the difference between a licensed bank, a restricted licence bank and a deposit-taking company?
According to the HKMA, licensed banks operate current and savings accounts and accept deposits of any size and maturity from the public; restricted licence banks may take deposits of any maturity of HK$500,000 and above; deposit-taking companies may take deposits of HK$100,000 or above with an original term of maturity of at least three months.
Can a local representative office take deposits?
No. The HKMA says local representative offices of banks incorporated outside Hong Kong are not allowed to engage in any banking business; their role is confined mainly to liaison work with customers in Hong Kong.
How do I check a caller who says they are from a bank?
The HKMA publishes a list of retail banks’ hotlines for authenticating the identity of callers claiming to be bank representatives. The hotlines on that list are at the top of this page.
What is an SVF licensee?
A company granted a licence to issue or facilitate the issue of stored value facilities under the Payment Systems and Stored Value Facilities Ordinance. The HKMA keeps the Register of SVF Licensees online for public inspection; a licensed bank is regarded as being granted a licence.

Hong Kong business registers · the HKMA’s Register of AIs and LROs

Data source: Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Register of AIs and LROs (data.gov.hk), Register of SVF Licensees and List of retail banks’ hotlines for authenticating the identity of callers claiming to be bank representatives; the register read from its copy on the CSDI portal · Data © the Government of the HKSAR · Data refreshed 2026-10-05 · the HKMA updates the register as and when necessary; synced weekly
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