Important notices

With effect from 23 November 2026, amendments will be made to (i) Schedule XIV – Structured Investment Deposits of the Business Integrated Account Service Schedules; and (ii) the HKSAR Local Conditions, which form part of the Business Integrated Account General Conditions - Commercial Banking (collectively, the ‘T&Cs’). A summary of the amendments is set out in the Notice of Change.

Please refer to Account General Conditions for the updated (i) Business Integrated Account Service Schedules; and (ii) the HKSAR Local Conditions.

This notice is applicable to HSBC Non-Personal Customers (Commercial Banking customers and Corporate and Institutional Banking customers) only

HSBC will make changes to the submission and processing of manual payment instructions via the Telegraphic Transfer / Interbank Fund Transfer Application Form (Smartform).

Change 1 – New Smartform version

• From 23 October 2026, a new vesion of the Smartform will be introduced.
• From 23 November 2026, payments submitted using the old Smartform will be rejected.

Reason: Swift released new requirements for TT and RTGS payment that City/Town and Country/Region will become mandatory under address fields. The Smartform will be updated accordingly to cater the industry requirement. The hybrid address requirement applies to payments initiated across all HSBC channels and you should be notified through respective channels accordingly.

Change 2 – Updated access and submission arrangements for Smartform

• The new Smartform will not be available on HSBC’s public website. Customers should follow the instructions provided by HSBC to obtain the latest Smartform.
• From 23 November 2026, HSBC will only process Smartform instructions submitted via the approved submission arrangement(s). Customers should submit at one of HSBC’s Branches. We will no longer accept Smartform instructions submitted via mail-in submission.

Consider using HSBC E-banking

We encourage you to consider submitting payment instructions via HSBC E-Banking (Business Internet Banking or HSBCnet) to enjoy a lower transaction fee and later cut-off time. E-banking also enables you to track the status of your TT and RTGS payment instructions online and, where applicable, view the foreign exchange rate before submission.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your relationship manager or you may call us on (852) 2748 8288.

• Uncertificated Securities Market (USM) is a new initiative by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), enabling you to hold and transfer certain securities electronically without paper share certificates.
• USM aims to reduce manual, paper-based processes and enhance operational efficiency in Hong Kong’s financial markets.
• USM will commence on 16 November 2026, with securities transitioning in phases as participating securities over a period of up to five years, subject to market announcements. HKEX will announce the participation date for each security with at least three months’ prior notice. For more details, please visit the HKEX official website.
• Following USM implementation, we will update our fees and charges. The new Fees and Charges Schedule will take effect from 07 December 2026. For more details, please visit Commercial Tariffs.

With effect from 7 Sep 2026, the cut-off time for outward TT and RTGS instructions submitted via Smartform will be revised to 12:30 (Hong Kong time) on Hong Kong business days (Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).

This change applies to:

• Interbank Funds Transfer via RTGS (current cut-off time: 14:30)
• RMB (CNY) Telegraphic Transfer (current cut-off time: 14:00)
• General Telegraphic Transfer (current cut-off time: 16:00)

Instructions submitted via Smartform after 12:30 will be processed on the next business day (subject to relevant clearing system and beneficiary bank processing).

No change in cutoff time for Business Internet Banking and HSBCnet

To enjoy later cut-off times, please submit your instructions via Business Internet Banking or HSBCnet, where cut-off times remain unchanged:

• RTGS: 5:45pm
• Telegraphic Transfer (TT): 6:00pm

If you have any questions, please contact your relationship manager or our contact centre staff at (852) 2748 8288.

As advised by the Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited, joint clearing of cheques between Hong Kong and Guangdong Province (excluding Shenzhen) will be terminated. Starting from 29 April 2026, HSBC will stop accepting and processing the following cheques:

• HKD, USD and RMB cheques drawn on HSBC Hong Kong that are deposited with banks in Guangdong Province (excluding Shenzhen) for clearing; and
• HKD cheques drawn on banks in Guangdong Province (excluding Shenzhen) that are deposited into HSBC Hong Kong accounts for clearing.

Please consider other payment options, for example, Payment Connect or Telegraphic Transfer. Joint cheque clearing services between Hong Kong and Shenzhen will not be affected.

To strengthen customer protection, we've adopted enhanced measures on instant inward payments. To receive money in your HSBC account number, please be reminded to provide your full account name as registered with HSBC to payers. If an incoming instant payment bears an account name that does not match with what is registered with HSBC, the payment may be rejected.

The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. (HKEX) has announced that the Hong Kong securities and derivatives markets will remain open and during severe weather (“SW”) conditions effective from 23Sep2024. Currently, under SW conditions, trading, clearing and settlement of securities and derivatives via will be cancelled according to the existing SW arrangements.

SW refers to the hoisting of Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above, or announcement of Black Rainstorm Warning by the HKSAR Government. Should SW fall on any day from Monday to Friday except a Hong Kong public holiday, it would be considered a Severe Weather Trading Day (“SWT Day”)

SWT Day will be a normal trading day but remain as non-business day for the Bank. Bank branch services will remain closed as per current arrangements.

For details, please refer to the FAQ (PDF, 517KB).

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your relationship manager, or visit any HSBC Business Centre.

We will introduce a new safety measure in the Android version of the HSBC HK Business Express mobile app to further strengthen our efforts to protect you from potential fraud resulting from malware that can take over your Android device. Learn More about our control.

From 27 March 2024, if we detect potential risks on your Android device, we’ll suspend your access to the HSBC HK Business Express mobile app from this device for your protection.

You’ll NOT be affected by the new measure if:

• You’re an Android user and only download apps from your phone’s official app stores (For details on official app stores, please refer to FAQs in HSBC website (Banking > Cyber security and fraud hub))

Your access might be suspended with the new measure if you have:

• installed apps from sources other than your phone’s official app stores; and
• granted certain permissions for these apps, such as screen sharing or full control of your device.

What you can do now:
Check the accessibility settings on your device and assess which app permission is necessary. When in doubt, turn off the accessibility settings for those apps (Go to device settings > Accessibility) or delete them.

To assist public in identifying SMS sender and prevent them from falling prey to phishing SMS, Office of the Communications Authority, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the telecommunications industry have established the “SMS Sender Registration Scheme”. Starting from 28th January 2024, major local banks will only use registered sender IDs starting with “#” to send one-way SMS to local mobile users.

Starting from 28th January 2024, the sender address of one-time SMS sent by HSBC will be replaced by the registered sender IDs below:

Please note that the SMS Sender Registration Scheme is not appliable to:

1. SMS messages of which receiving parties are expected to reply to the senders via phone numbers (2-way SMS) ; or

2. Local subscribers of Single-Card-Multiple-Numbers/One-Card-Two-Numbers mobile service provided by non-Hong Kong operators.

HSBC reminder: If you receive SMS from unknown sender, please be vigilant and do not disclose any personal, account or credit card information, or transfer money as per requested. Do not click on suspicious link in SMS. If in doubt, you can use "Scameter" launched by the police to evaluate the fraud risk of the phone number or URL.

Introduction of Simplified Chinese version of General Terms and Conditions – Commercial Banking

To better serve our customers, Simplified Chinese version of General Terms and Conditions is now available at Account Service Forms.

As HKMA has amended Part 8 of the Banking (Exposure Limits) Rules (BELR), the Hong Kong SAR Local Conditions of the Business Integrated Account General Conditions for Commercial Banking have been updated accordingly.

Condition 7 of the Hong Kong SAR Local Conditions has been amended to reflect the changes made to the definition of “relative” in BELR Part 8.

Please refer to Account General Conditions for the updated Hong Kong SAR Local Conditions.

For Global Banking and Commercial Banking clients in Hong Kong who had negative interest rates applied to their EUR and CHF accounts, the applicable interest rates will be changed with effect from 1st August 2022. For current accounts in EUR and CHF, the applicable interest rate will be zero, and for savings accounts in those currencies, the applicable interest rate will be based on the standard savings rate as published on our public website.

Please visit Commercial Tariffs for updated tariff details for Hong Kong commercial customers, effective Nov 2026.

As your banking partner, we want to do our best to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. Before you enter our Business Centre, you are advised to put on a surgical mask. Hand sanitiser will be available inside the centre. Our staff will also measure your body temperature at the entrance. If your body temperature is at 37.5 degree Celsius or above, you will be invited to seek medical attention immediately and come back after you get well.

1. Beware of online scams – Recently we are aware of a new way of phishing related to coronavirus. The coronavirus-themed scams, including phishing emails, fraudulent calls, and disinformation campaigns, may contain suspicious links of files or an app called ‘Coronavirus Map’. These scams serve no intention of providing useful information, but instead are designed to deliver malware to devices, and capture user names, passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive data. If you are suspicious of any e-mail/SMS that claims to come from HSBC, please call our hotline +852 2748 8288 to verify, or delete the item without opening it. This caution should apply to all unexpected e-mails/SMS with links or attachments. To find out more, please read our Security Tips.
2. Remember to stay alert and watch out for phishing SMSes, emails and fraudulent websites. We would never send any SMS or email with a link requesting you to log on to HSBC Business Internet Banking.

Protect your Personal Digital Keys; Beware of Fraudulent Links!

To find out more, please read our Security Tips.

“Don't be tempted by quick money. Don't lend your bank account to anyone to launder money.”

A money mule is someone who transfers or processes illegal money on behalf of others. Beware of criminals who offer quick money via telemarketing or social media platforms to lure the public into selling or lending their bank accounts or use their personal credentials to open bank accounts. Criminals will then use these stooge accounts to receive / launder fraudulent payments or other crime proceeds.

Never sell or lend your bank accounts or personal credentials to others as these might be abused for unlawful purposes and may expose you to the risk of committing money laundering offences – the maximum penalty is a fine of HKD5 million and 14-year imprisonment.

Visit the HKMA website to learn more about “Don’t Lend/Sell Your Account”.

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+852 2748 8288