Which account will a company with non-resident owners get?

If a Hong Kong company has foreign shareholders with 25% or more — a Business Account: an average balance from HK$100,000, an HK$800 annual fee, and an HK$6,500 opening fee if not all beneficial owners are Hong Kong permanent residents. The Business Integrated Account is for local owners.

Can the account be opened online?

Online only for a Hong Kong company with one or two directors, where all parties hold a permanent HKID and there are no corporate shareholders; the account number comes in as little as 24 hours. Even then the bank may require a meeting. Companies with non-resident owners, in our experience, need the director to visit.

What does the account cost per year?

For a Business Account — HK$800 a year plus HK$500 for every month the average daily balance is below HK$100,000. The balance counts all of the company’s accounts and investments with OCBC under the same BR number.

Which currencies are available?

A multi-currency account — HKD, RMB and other currencies; with FX Online you can hold up to 15 major currencies. In our experience, the working ones are USD, EUR, HKD and CNY, others on request.

Which business activities does OCBC accept?

Trading, logistics, consulting. Other activities are at the bank’s discretion, case by case. Suitable for international trade with Asia.

How is OCBC in Hong Kong related to OCBC in China?

They are banks of the same group, but with different rules. OCBC in Shenzhen opens an NRA account remotely — forms by courier and the original passport; a link to Asia is not required there, but turnover of USD 1 million a month or more is.

How long does opening take?

According to the bank, a Business Account opens in as little as 5 working days, a Foreign Business Account — from two weeks. In practice the timing depends on the director’s visit and compliance requests — we give an estimate after assessing your profile.

Are the company’s funds protected?

Yes, up to a limit: OCBC is a member of Hong Kong’s Deposit Protection Scheme — up to HK$800,000 per depositor at the bank, covering company accounts and foreign-currency deposits. Structured deposits and investments are not protected.

Beneficial owner — 25%+

For every beneficial owner with 25% or more, every director and every signatory — a passport and proof of address issued within the last 3 months.

Elizaveta Germash

Bank accounts

OCBC — will your profile pass?

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Bank account opening

An OCBC account in Hong Kong — for businesses linked to Asia

Q: What does OCBC count as a link to China or Asia?

Suppliers, buyers or group companies in the region — backed by documents: contracts, invoices, shipping documents. In our experience, if there are no operations yet, clients show contracts for planned deals — with a supplier and with a buyer. Separately, the bank checks the source of business, the ownership structure and business activity.

Q: Will OCBC open an account for a UAE company?

The bank offers a Foreign Business Account for foreign companies: a balance from HK$100,000, an HK$10,000 opening fee, from two weeks according to the bank, plus a certificate of incumbency issued within 6 months and a certificate of good standing. In our experience, OCBC opens corporate accounts for Hong Kong companies — we assess a foreign application case by case.

OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) is part of Singapore’s OCBC Group. It opens accounts for Hong Kong companies whose business is linked to China or Asia and, in our experience, only when the director visits in person. For non-resident owners, the fit is the Business Account: a balance from HKD 100,000 and an HK$6,500 opening fee.

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HK$100,000
Average balance for a Business Account; below it — HK$500 a month: HK$6,500
Opening fee if not all beneficial owners are Hong Kong permanent residents: HK$800
Annual fee for a Business Account: In person
Director’s visit — mandatory in our experience

Other banks in Hong Kong

All banks in Hong Kong

In short

OCBC in Hong Kong opens accounts for Hong Kong companies whose business is linked to China or Asia and, in our experience, only with the director’s visit. A Business Account for non-resident owners: HK$6,500 to open, a HK$100,000 average balance (HK$500 a month below it), and a HK$800 annual fee.

Checked 18 October 2026 · Elizaveta Germash

Cost of a mistake

Up to HK$10,000

The opening fee — HK$6,500 with a non-resident owner, HK$10,000 with an overseas corporate shareholder — isn’t refunded if the bank declines.

How to avoid it

OCBC — for trade with Asia, if you can prove the regional link

OCBC does not consider businesses without Asian suppliers, clients or group companies. A link to China or Asia is the first condition; after that the bank checks the source of business, the ownership structure and business activity.

Account by ownership type
A Hong Kong company with local owners — Business Integrated Account; with foreign shareholders of 25% or more — Business Account; a foreign company — Foreign Business Account.
Threshold — HK$100,000
For a Business Account the average daily balance is HK$100,000 or more; below that — HK$500 a month. In our experience, the bank also expects a deposit of at least that amount.
Business activity
Trading, logistics, consulting; anything else at the bank’s discretion. One of Asia’s largest banks, with strict compliance.
Online banking
OCBC Velocity and the business app with the OneToken token: a TT costs HK$115 online versus HK$250 at a branch.

Who it suits

Who it suits — and when to choose something else

A good fit if

01You buy from or sell to China and Asia and can show contracts and invoices.
02You have a Hong Kong company — or are registering one for the account.
03You are ready to keep an average balance of HK$100,000 or more.
04Your business is trading, logistics or consulting.
05The director can travel to the bank in Hong Kong.

Consider something else if

01No link to Asia yet — OCBC will not consider the application. Start with a platform and build a transaction history.Payment platforms
02The director cannot travel to Hong Kong. OCBC in Shenzhen opens an NRA account remotely but expects turnover of USD 1 million a month or more.OCBC
03The link to Asia is weak, but the Hong Kong company is operating — HSBC does not explicitly require a regional link.HSBC

Bank profile

OCBC in Hong Kong — terms, fees and restrictions

Terms are based on our experience; fees follow the OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) tariff.

OCBC Bank (Hong Kong)

Hong Kong bank of Singapore’s OCBC Group

Link to Asia
Director’s visit
Balance HKD 100,000
Opening HK$6,500

Account type: Corporate account for a Hong Kong company; personal account
Currencies: USD, EUR, HKD, CNY, others on request
Business activity: Trading, logistics, consulting; anything else at the bank’s discretion
Opening: Director’s personal visit only
Balance: Deposit and average balance from HKD 100,000
Account access: OCBC Velocity, business app, OneToken token

Terms reflect our team’s experience as of October 2026; fees follow OCBC’s Bank Service Fees Guide effective 18 March 2026. The bank has the final say.

Benefits

What you get

Evidence of a link to Asia

We assemble the supply chain: contracts, invoices, bills of lading, group companies — what OCBC looks at first.

The right account type

From your owners we work out which account and which fee the bank will apply — before you pay the non-refundable fee.

Structure and source of business

We prepare an ownership chart and an explanation of where the business and the money come from — the bank checks them separately.

Visit preparation

The director comes to the bank with answers on suppliers, clients, goods and the flow of funds.

A second channel in yuan

If you need an account in China, we plan an NRA at OCBC in Shenzhen — a bank of the same group.

Status in the client portal

Stages, bank requests and documents — all in one portal. You can see whose move it is.

Route

An account in Hong Kong and a second channel in China — within one group

A common set-up for trade with China: a Hong Kong company, an OCBC account in Hong Kong and an NRA at OCBC in Shenzhen. The two banks have different requirements.

Company01

Company in Hong Kong

Remote registration; we shape the structure and business description for the bank from the start.

3–7 daysfrom €1,308

You get: CI, BR, articles and registers for the bank file

Account02

OCBC in Hong Kong

Business Account: director’s visit, link to Asia, balance from HK$100,000.

from 5 working days, per the bank

You get: multi-currency account and OCBC Velocity

Account03

NRA at OCBC in Shenzhen

No director’s visit: forms by courier and the original passport. The bank expects turnover of USD 1 million a month or more.

3–4 weeks + tokensin parallel

You get: account details at a Chinese bank and 2 tokens

What you get

2 accounts

HKD and USD in Hong Kong, yuan and USD in China. The China account is opened remotely, in parallel with the Hong Kong one.

Let’s discuss the details

Is your link to Asia enough for OCBC?

Send us contracts and invoices with Asian counterparties — we’ll assess them before you pay the non-refundable opening fee.

Elizaveta Germash

Bank accounts

Process

7 steps from the first conversation to the result

Every step is visible in the client portal: what’s happening now and whether we need anything from you.

Steps on your side: 3 of 7

We handle it · 3Needed from you · 3Bank · 1

We review your suppliers, clients and group companies: is the evidence enough for OCBC?

Step 1 of 7

Checking the link to Asia

We review your suppliers, clients and group companies: is the evidence enough for OCBC?

We handle it1–3 days

Documents

What you’ll need

Company documents

Resolution on the account and signatories (account mandate)
A valid BR, the certificate of incorporation and of change of name, if any
Articles of association and amending resolutions
Shareholder information: annual return, instruments of transfer
Proof of business address
For a foreign company — a certificate of incumbency issued within 6 months and a certificate of good standing

People

Passport or ID card of the directors, beneficial owners with 25% or more and all signatories
Proof of residential address issued within 3 months — for each of them
CV and proof of industry experience

Link to Asia and business activity

Contracts with suppliers and buyers in China or Asia; if there are no operations yet — contracts for planned deals with a supplier and with a buyer
Invoices, bills of lading and other shipping documents
Ownership structure chart and an explanation of the source of business
Expected turnover, currencies and payment countries
A statement from another bank and the company website — if available

Timing and budget

What makes up the budget

Fees follow OCBC’s Business Customer Bank Service Fees Guide (effective 18 March 2026), indicative as of October 2026; the bank has the final say.

ItemDepends onWhen

Opening feeDepends onHK$1,200 if all beneficial owners are Hong Kong permanent residents; HK$6,500 if at least one is not; a foreign company, including a Hong Kong company with an overseas corporate shareholder or director — HK$10,000. A structure of three or more layers carries a special fee of HK$10,000. Not refunded if the bank declines.WhenOn application
Company searchDepends onHK$150 per registry search.WhenOn application
Minimum balanceDepends onBusiness Account and Foreign Business Account — an average daily balance of HK$100,000 or more; below it — HK$500 a month. Business Integrated Account — HK$50,000 or more; below it — HK$150.WhenMonthly
Annual feeDepends onHK$800 for a Business Account and a Foreign Business Account.WhenAnnually
TransfersDepends onTT via e-Banking — HK$115, at a branch — HK$250; incoming TT — HK$65. FPS — HK$5 up to HK$500,000. Plus correspondent bank charges.WhenPer transaction
TokensDepends onThe first two devices for a Business Account are free; a replacement costs HK$100.WhenAt opening and on replacement
Courier and early closureDepends onCourier — HK$300; closure within the first 3 months — HK$500.WhenAs incurred
Trip to Hong KongDepends onThe director’s visit is mandatory — budget for flights and accommodation.WhenFor the bank visit
Our supportDepends onA file proving the link to Asia, visit preparation, handling bank requests. The cost depends on the structure and risk level — we fix it in our proposal.WhenWhen we start

Account type

Which OCBC account your company will get

The bank sets the account type by place of incorporation and owners — and the type drives the threshold, the fees and the timing. Fees are indicative as of October 2026; the bank has the final say.

Average balance

From HK$50,000

Fee below the balance

HK$150 a month

Opening fee

HK$1,200

all beneficial owners are Hong Kong permanent residents

Click an option to highlight it across every parameter

Average balance

From HK$50,000

From HK$100,000

Fee below the balance

HK$150 a month

HK$500 a month

Opening fee

HK$1,200

all beneficial owners are Hong Kong permanent residents

HK$6,500

if not all beneficial owners are permanent residents; HK$10,000 with an overseas corporate shareholder or director

HK$10,000

Getting it right

Common mistakes — and how to avoid them

Click a card to see how to do it right · 0 of 5 open

01 What people often do
Applying to OCBC “on the off chance”, without Asian counterparties.
02 What people often do
Expecting the HK$1,200 fee when the owners are non-residents.
03 What people often do
Assuming HK$100,000 is only needed at the start.
04 What people often do
Showing a structure without the ultimate owners.
05 What people often do
Closing the account after a month if it turns out inconvenient.

FAQ

Expert answers

Elizaveta Germash — Bank accounts

Suppliers, buyers or group companies in the region — backed by documents: contracts, invoices, shipping documents. In our experience, if there are no operations yet, clients show contracts for planned deals — with a supplier and with a buyer. Separately, the bank checks the source of business, the ownership structure and business activity.

Elizaveta Germash · Bank accounts

The bank offers a Foreign Business Account for foreign companies: a balance from HK$100,000, an HK$10,000 opening fee, from two weeks according to the bank, plus a certificate of incumbency issued within 6 months and a certificate of good standing. In our experience, OCBC opens corporate accounts for Hong Kong companies — we assess a foreign application case by case.

Elizaveta Germash · Bank accounts

Sources

Deadlines, amounts and rules are based on these sources as of the check date. Rules change: check with us before deciding.

Often goes with this

What else you may need

Bank Accounts

DBS

Another Singapore bank: also expects a link to Asia, with a higher threshold

Bank Accounts

CITIC Bank International

If the business is closely tied to mainland China

Company Registration

Hong Kong

A Hong Kong company we register to the bank’s requirements from the start

Next step

OCBC — will your profile pass?

Tell us about your suppliers, clients and group companies in Asia. We’ll tell you which OCBC account fits and whether your evidence of a regional link is enough.

Elizaveta GermashLawyer · Bank accounts