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Shengsen International was invited to attend the "Head Office Activity Day of Hang Seng Bank of Hong
2025.09.02
I. Policy Background and Core Changes
Data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) shows that in the first quarter of 2025, the number of newly opened corporate bank accounts in Hong Kong increased by 12% year-on-year, while the account opening thresholds of traditional foreign-funded banks have been significantly raised. For example, HSBC requires mainland residents to only apply for Premier accounts with a threshold of HKD 800,000, and needs to provide salary slips and tax records for the past 6 months. This change is driven by multiple factors:
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International regulatory pressure: The upgrading of global anti-money laundering standards (such as the new FATF regulations) requires banks to strengthen customer due diligence. In 2025, the strictness of Hong Kong banks' review of fund sources has increased by 40%.
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Inactive account cleanup: HKMA statistics show that in 2024, about 12% of offshore companies in Hong Kong were compulsorily deregistered due to long-term inactivity, so banks have tightened account opening reviews to reduce invalid accounts.
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Digital transformation: HKMA has promoted the connection between the "Commercial Data Interchange" and the "Authorized Data Exchange Gateway". Banks can evaluate credit through enterprises' import and export data, leading to the transformation of the traditional model that relies on manual review.
II. Differentiated Advantages of Chinese-Funded Banks
Chinese-funded banks (such as Bank of China and Bank of Communications) have seized market share through policy preferences, with specific measures including:
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Priority channels for green industries: The success rate of account opening for cross-border e-commerce and new energy enterprises under the guidance of professional institutions can reach 88%, an increase of 30% compared with the traditional process. For example, a Shenzhen cross-border e-commerce enterprise completed account opening in only 3 weeks and obtained a credit line of HKD 5 million through the "Green Industry Express" of Bank of China (Hong Kong).
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Upgrade of remote account opening technology: Chinese-funded banks generally adopt the "blockchain + AI" risk control system, which can verify enterprise business licenses, legal person identities and business contracts in real time, reducing the account opening cycle from 8 weeks to 4 weeks.
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Fee preferences: Chinese-funded banks have launched policies for SMEs such as exemption from management fees in the first year and 50% reduction in cross-border transfer fees, saving about 30% of costs compared with foreign-funded banks.
III. Enterprise Response Strategies
Material Preparation List:
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Basic documents: Business license, legal person ID card/passport, company articles of association;
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Business certificates: Bank statements for the past 3 months, purchase/sales contracts (the company name must be indicated);
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Special industries: Cross-border e-commerce enterprises need to provide Amazon/Shopee store links, and trading companies need to provide customs declarations.
Risk Avoidance Skills:
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Avoid fast in and out of funds: Large funds must stay for at least 72 hours after arrival, otherwise anti-money laundering alerts may be triggered;
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Keep accounts active: Conduct at least 1 HKD transfer per month to prevent being identified as an "inactive account".
Value of Professional Services:
Applying through a licensed secretarial company (such as Shengsen International) can obtain services of "pre-review of materials + simulated interview + expedited channel", increasing the overall success rate to 92%.
IV. Industry Trends and Expert Opinions
Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of HKMA, said that in 2025, efforts to promote the digital transformation of banks will continue, and it is planned to realize 90% of the account opening process online by the end of the year. Li Minbin, Co-Chief Executive of Bank of East Asia, advised enterprises: "Prioritize Chinese-funded banks with cross-border service experience, and at the same time, plan the capital path in advance through professional institutions to avoid business impacts due to policy changes."
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