In Hong Kong's multi-currency financial clearing architecture—operated by Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited (HKICL) jointly owned by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB)—every domestic and cross-border fund transfer relies on three statutory routing identifiers: the 3-Digit Bank Clearing Code (Bank Code), the 3-Digit Branch Code, and the 8/11-Character SWIFT / BIC Code (ISO 9362). Unlike European jurisdictions, Hong Kong banks do NOT use IBAN (International Bank Account Number).
Directly synchronized with HKICL's latest official Clearing Code and Branch Code List (Version 2026/047, effective 24 October 2026), List of BICs & LEIs of Members, and the Full List of Payment System Participants, the full-width interactive lookup workbench above covers all 326 clearing institutions alongside all 3,343 sub-branch codes and street addresses across Hong Kong. Below is the complete institutional breakdown of Top 30 bank codes, digital banks, merged legacy routing rules, and international wire SOPs.
100% Full Coverage: Includes 313 clearing codes from HKICL's master directory, 4 HKMA digital/tokenised settlement codes (810/851/897/899), and 9 SWIFT-only Third-Party Users.
Instant Branch Lookup: Search any 3-digit branch code (e.g. 004-002 HSBC Head Office, 012-875 BOCHK Tower) or filter by HK district/street in English or Chinese.
SWIFT + Bank/Branch + Account: Hong Kong does not adopt IBAN. International wires use the 8/11-char SWIFT BIC plus the beneficiary's 3-digit branch prefix and account number.
HKD · USD · EUR · RMB: Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS/CHATS) across four currencies plus 24/7 Faster Payment System (FPS) instant interbank clearing across 36 retail & digital banks.
II. Top 30 Mainstream Hong Kong Banks Quick Reference Table (Bank Code & SWIFT BIC)
For daily retail FPS transfers, brokerage eDDA bindings, salary autopay, and corporate cross-border wire remittances, over 96% of transaction volume in Hong Kong is concentrated across the 30 mainstream licensed commercial and digital banks listed below (100% verified against HKICL Version 2026/047 & official BIC registry):
| Bank Code | Official Bank Name (EN / ZH) | 11-Char SWIFT BIC | 8-Char SWIFT | HQ Branch Code | Category & Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
004 | The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited 香港上海滙豐銀行有限公司 | HSBCHKHHHKH | HSBCHKHH | 002 / 102 (1 Queen's Rd C) | Note-Issuing · HSBC Guide → |
012 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited 中國銀行（香港）有限公司 | BKCHHKHHXXX | BKCHHKHH | 875 / 001 (1 Garden Rd) | Note-Issuing · BOCHK Guide → |
003 | Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 渣打銀行（香港）有限公司 | SCBLHKHHXXX | SCBLHKHH | 228 / 447 (4-4A Des Voeux Rd C) | Note-Issuing · SCB Guide → |
024 | Hang Seng Bank Limited 恒生銀行有限公司 | HASEHKHHXXX | HASEHKHH | 203 / 787 (83 Des Voeux Rd C) | Major Retail · Hang Seng Guide → |
016 | DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 星展銀行（香港）有限公司 | DHBKHKHHXXX | DHBKHKHH | 188 / 189 (99 Queen's Rd C) | Major Commercial · DBS Guide → |
035 | OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 華僑銀行（香港）有限公司（原華僑永亨） | WIHBHKHHXXX | WIHBHKHH | 802 (161 Queen's Rd C) | Major Commercial · OCBC Guide → |
250 | Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited 花旗銀行（香港）有限公司（零售及Citi Plus） | CITIHKAXXXX | CITIHKAX | 390 (20 Pedder St) / 790 | Retail Subsidiary · Citi Guide → |
006 | Citibank, N.A. (Hong Kong Branch) 花旗銀行（香港分行 · 商業及機構銀行） | CITIHKHXXXX | CITIHKHX | 391 (3 Garden Rd) | Institutional · Citi Guide → |
015 | The Bank of East Asia, Limited 東亞銀行有限公司 | BEASHKHHXXX | BEASHKHH | 275 / 260 (10 Des Voeux Rd C) | Major Local · BEA Guide → |
009 | China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited 中國建設銀行（亞洲）股份有限公司 | CCBQHKAXXXX | CCBQHKAX | 847 / 631 (3 Connaught Rd C) | Major Chinese · CCBA Guide → |
072 | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited 中國工商銀行（亞洲）有限公司 | UBHKHKHHXXX | UBHKHKHH | 861 / 701 (122-126 Queen's Rd C) | Major Chinese · Profile → |
020 | CMB Wing Lung Bank Limited 招商永隆銀行有限公司 | WUBAHKHHXXX | WUBAHKHH | 601 (45 Des Voeux Rd C) | CMB Group · CMBWL Guide → |
018 | China CITIC Bank International Limited 中信銀行（國際）有限公司 | KWHKHKHHXXX | KWHKHKHH | 694 / 699 (61-65 Des Voeux Rd C) | Major Chinese · Profile → |
043 | Nanyang Commercial Bank, Limited 南洋商業銀行有限公司 | NYCBHKHHXXX | NYCBHKHH | 472 (151 Des Voeux Rd C) | Commercial · Profile → |
039 | Chiyu Banking Corporation Limited 集友銀行有限公司 | CIYUHKHHXXX | CIYUHKHH | 031 (78 Des Voeux Rd C) | Commercial · Profile → |
040 | Dah Sing Bank, Limited 大新銀行有限公司 | DSBAHKHHXXX | DSBAHKHH | 739 (108 Gloucester Rd) | Local Retail · Profile → |
041 | Chong Hing Bank Limited 創興銀行有限公司 | LCHBHKHHXXX | LCHBHKHH | 256 (24 Des Voeux Rd C) | Yuexiu Group · Profile → |
025 | Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited 上海商業銀行有限公司 | SCBKHKHHXXX | SCBKHKHH | 328 (12 Queen's Rd C) | Local Commercial · Profile → |
382 / 027 | Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Ltd / HK Branch 交通銀行（香港）有限公司 (382) / 香港分行 (027) | COMMHKHKXXX / COMMHKHHXXX | COMMHKHK | 100 (20 Pedder St) | Retail (382) / Corp (027) |
028 | Public Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 大眾銀行（香港）有限公司 | CBHKHKHHXXX | CBHKHKHH | 714 / 738 (120 Des Voeux Rd C) | Retail & SME · Profile → |
128 | Fubon Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 富邦銀行（香港）有限公司 | IBALHKHHXXX | IBALHKHH | 828 (38 Des Voeux Rd C) | Retail & Wealth · Profile → |
071 | United Overseas Bank Limited (HK Branch) 大華銀行有限公司（香港分行） | UOVBHKHHXXX | UOVBHKHH | 826 (28/F, 3 Garden Rd) | ASEAN Corp · Profile → |
387 | ZA Bank Limited 眾安銀行有限公司（香港第一持牌數字銀行） | AABLHKHHXXX | AABLHKHH | 747 (Cyberport 3, 100 Cyberport Rd) | Digital · ZA Bank Guide → |
388 | Livi Bank Limited 理慧銀行有限公司（中銀香港牽頭數字銀行） | LIVIHKHHXXX | LIVIHKHH | 756 (28/F, Oxford House, Taikoo Place) | Digital · Profile → |
389 | Mox Bank Limited Mox Bank Limited（渣打牽頭持牌數字銀行） | MOXBHKHKXXX | MOXBHKHK | 749 (39/F, Oxford House, Taikoo Place) | Digital · Mox Guide → |
390 | WeLab Bank Limited 匯立銀行有限公司 | WEDIHKHHXXX | WEDIHKHH | 750 (93-103 Wing Lok St, Sheung Wan) | Digital · Profile → |
391 | Fusion Bank Limited 富融銀行有限公司（騰訊及港交所參股數字銀行） | IFFUHKHHXXX | IFFUHKHH | 751 (72 Tat Chee Ave, Kowloon Tong) | Digital · Profile → |
392 | PAO Bank Limited 平安壹賬通銀行（香港）有限公司 | PONCHKHHXXX | PONCHKHH | 752 (19/F, NEO, 123 Hoi Bun Rd) | Digital SME · Profile → |
393 | Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 螞蟻銀行（香港）有限公司 | ASEHHKHHXXX | ASEHHKHH | 753 (23/F, Tower One, Times Square) | Digital · Profile → |
395 | Airstar Bank Limited 天星銀行有限公司 | AIRRHKHHXXX | AIRRHKHH | 755 (32/F, Sun Life Tower, The Gateway) | Digital · Profile → |
III. Structural Anatomy: Clearing Code vs. Branch Code vs. SWIFT BIC vs. Why Hong Kong Has No IBAN
When completing international wire transfer forms, setting up corporate payroll, or binding securities brokerage eDDA mandates, understanding the structural relationship between Hong Kong's four banking identifiers eliminates rejected payments and correspondent bank amendment charges:
| Identifier Name | Standard Format | Example (HSBC / BOCHK) | Primary Clearing Scenarios | Issuing Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bank Clearing Code (Bank Code / Clearing Code) | 3 Digits (or A01–A05) | HSBC: 004BOCHK: 012ZA Bank: 387 | Local interbank transfers: FPS (Faster Payment System), CHATS / RTGS, Autopay, ECG paper cheque clearing, eDDA setup | HKICL & HKMA |
| 2. Branch Code (Sub-Branch Prefix) | 3 Digits | HSBC Central HQ: 002BOCHK Tower: 875Hang Seng HQ: 203 | Identifies the domicile branch where the account was opened; embedded as the first 3 digits of a full 12-digit HK account number | HKICL & Member Bank |
| 3. SWIFT / BIC Code (International Wire BIC) | 8 or 11 Characters (ISO 9362) | HSBC: HSBCHKHHHKHBOCHK: BKCHHKHHXXXSCB: SCBLHKHHXXX | International cross-border wire transfers (T/T) via the SWIFT network from overseas or mainland China into Hong Kong | SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) |
| 4. Legal Entity Identifier (Global LEI Code) | 20 Alphanumeric Characters (ISO 17442) | HSBC: 2138006G356BM4J5I798BOCHK: 549300WR155U7DVMIW53 | Institutional OTC derivatives reporting, ISO 20022 MX payment messages, and cross-border regulatory KYC verification | GLEIF / Local Operating Units |
1. How the 3-Digit Branch Code Is Embedded in Your Hong Kong Bank Account Number
In Hong Kong, a complete bank account number typically consists of 9 to 12 digits: [3-Digit Branch Code] + [6 to 9-Digit Account Serial Number]. For example:
- HSBC Hong Kong (Bank Code
004): An account displayed on your statement as808-123456-838has Branch Code808and Account Number123456838(where suffix-838denotes a Business Integrated multi-currency account,-833denotes HSBC One / Integrated Account, and-001denotes HKD statement savings). When an overseas sender asks for a 12-digit account number, combine the 3-digit branch code and 9-digit account number without hyphens:808123456838. - Bank of China (Hong Kong) (Bank Code
012): A full 14-digit BOCHK number (or 11-digit branch + account) starts with012-[3-Digit Branch Code]-[8-Digit Account](e.g.,012-875-1-012345-6where875is the Bank of China Tower branch code). - Licensed Digital Banks (
387–395): Because licensed digital banks operate without physical retail branches, each digital bank uses a single unified Head Office Branch Code registered with HKICL for all customers—specifically ZA Bank (387-747, SWIFTAABLHKHHXXX), Livi Bank (388-756, SWIFTLIVIHKHHXXX), Mox Bank (389-749, SWIFTMOXBHKHKXXX), WeLab Bank (390-750, SWIFTWEDIHKHHXXX), Fusion Bank (391-751, SWIFTIFFUHKHHXXX), PAO Bank (392-752, SWIFTPONCHKHHXXX), Ant Bank (393-753, SWIFTASEHHKHHXXX), and Airstar Bank (395-755, SWIFTAIRRHKHHXXX).
2. Why Does HSBC Use HSBCHKHHHKH While Most Hong Kong Banks Use XXX?
A standard 11-character SWIFT BIC is structured as AAAA BB CC DDD: 4-letter Bank Code + 2-letter ISO Country Code (HK) + 2-character Location Code (HH) + 3-character Branch Suffix. While most Hong Kong banks use XXX to designate their primary head office clearing gateway (e.g., BKCHHKHHXXX, SCBLHKHHXXX, HASEHKHHXXX, DHBKHKHHXXX), HSBC Hong Kong specifically uses HKH as the 3-character suffix (HSBCHKHHHKH) for all Hong Kong Dollar and retail/commercial multi-currency accounts domiciled in Hong Kong. If a remitting bank's form only accepts an 8-character SWIFT code, entering HSBCHKHH is equally valid.
3. What If a European or UK Remitter Insists on an IBAN for a Hong Kong Bank Account?
Hong Kong does NOT participate in the IBAN system. If a client or payer in Europe, the UK, or the Middle East encounters an online banking field labeled "IBAN / Account Number":
- Rule 1: Enter the Hong Kong bank's 8- or 11-character SWIFT BIC (e.g.
HSBCHKHHHKH) in the BIC/SWIFT field—modern European online banking interfaces automatically switch the validation rule from IBAN to standard Account Number once a non-IBAN country code (HK) is detected in positions 5–6 of the BIC. - Rule 2: In the Account Number field, enter the 3-Digit Branch Code + Account Number continuously without spaces or hyphens (e.g.
808123456838). Never manually prepend "HK" or "HK00" to a Hong Kong account number, as doing so will cause HKICL / bank automated STP systems to reject the payment for invalid account formatting.
IV. Authoritative Mapping of 15 Historical Merged Bank Clearing Codes (014–244)
Why do bank codes such as 014, 019, 026, 029, 030, 031, 032, 033, 036, 044, 051, 052, 064, 070, and 244 still appear in HKICL's official 2026 clearing directory with identical English names to BOCHK, DBS, OCBC, ICBC (Asia), or CITIC? Under Hong Kong's statutory bank merger ordinances (such as the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Ordinance, Cap. 1167 and the Dao Heng Bank Limited (Merger) Ordinance, Cap. 1179), historical clearing codes of merged predecessor banks are permanently retained in HKICL's routing table so that legacy passbooks, long-term mortgage direct debits, and older corporate accounts continue to clear seamlessly:
| Legacy Code | Original Predecessor Bank Name | Current Legal Entity & Primary Code | Active SWIFT BIC | Statutory Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
014 | The China State Bank, Limited 國華商業銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
019 | The Kwangtung Provincial Bank 廣東省銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
026 | The China & South Sea Bank, Limited 中南銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
030 | Kincheng Banking Corporation 金城銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
031 | Sin Hua Bank Limited 新華銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
033 | The Yien Yieh Commercial Bank Limited 鹽業銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
036 | The National Commercial Bank, Limited 浙江興業銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
064 | Hua Chiao Commercial Bank Limited 華僑商業銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
070 | Po Sang Bank Limited 寶生銀行 | Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (012) | BKCHHKHHXXX | Cap. 1167 (2001 Merger) |
032 | Dao Heng Bank Limited 道亨銀行 | DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (016) | DHBKHKHHXXX | Cap. 1179 (2003 Merger) |
052 | Overseas Trust Bank, Limited (OTB) 海外信託銀行 | DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (016) | DHBKHKHHXXX | Cap. 1179 (2003 Merger) |
044 | Chekiang First Bank Limited 浙江第一銀行 | OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (035) | WIHBHKHHXXX | Cap. 1178 (2004 Merger) |
051 | The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited 香港華人銀行 | China CITIC Bank International Limited (018) | KWHKHKHHXXX | Cap. 1172 (2002 Merger) |
029 | Fortis Bank Asia HK (Belgian Bank) 華比富通銀行（原華比銀行） | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) (072) | UBHKHKHHXXX | Cap. 1177 (2005 Merger) |
244 | Bank SinoPac Legacy Clearing Code 永豐商業銀行（原建華銀行香港保留碼） | Bank SinoPac (Hong Kong Branch) (241) | SINOHKHHXXX | Legacy Routing Code |
V. Decoding HKICL's 4-Character Clearing System Status Code (MDDM) & 800-Series Codes
In HKICL's official clearing directory, every bank and branch is assigned a 4-character Clearing System Status Code (such as MDDM, MDNM, or NNNN). Each position corresponds to one of Hong Kong's four Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS / CHATS) currency systems:
- Position 1 — HKD Clearing System:
M= Clearing Member (Direct/Indirect participant in HKD CHATS, ECG, and Autopay);N= Non-Member (participates only in foreign currency RTGS). - Position 2 — USD Clearing System (Settlement Institution: HSBC
828):D= Direct Participant in USD CHATS & USD Cheque Clearing;I= Indirect Participant in USD CHATS & USD Cheque Clearing;C= USD CHATS Only (no USD paper cheque clearing);N= Non-Participant. - Position 3 — EUR Clearing System (Settlement Institution: Standard Chartered
818):D= Direct Participant in EUR CHATS;C= EUR CHATS Participant;N= Non-Participant. - Position 4 — RMB Clearing System (Settlement Institution: Bank of China (HK)
838):M= Member of RMB CHATS & RMB Cheque Clearing;N= Non-Member.
Furthermore, clearing codes in the 801–899 range are reserved by the HKMA and HKICL for core financial market infrastructures (FMIs), central bank digital currency (CBDC) bridges, and currency settlement institutions: 801 (HKMA), 802 (Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company / CCASS), 803 (HKFE Clearing Corp), 804 (SEHK Options Clearing House), 810 (HKMA CMU Digital Asset Platform), 818 (SCB EUR Settlement), 828 (HSBC USD Settlement), 838 (BOCHK RMB Clearing Bank), 851 (HKMA Tokenised Central Bank Money CTB A), 868 (CLS Bank International), 872 (BOCHK Shenzhen-HK Cross-Border Center), 897 (HKMA Project Ensemble Wholesale CBDC Sandbox), and 899 (HKMA mBridge Multi-CBDC Platform).
VI. Corporate & Personal Remittance Pre-Flight Checklist (Avoiding Wire Rejections & Amendment Fees)
Before initiating an international SWIFT wire transfer or high-value local CHATS/FPS payment to a Hong Kong bank account, verify the following five compliance checkpoints:
- Beneficiary Legal Name Must Match 100% with the Certificate of Incorporation (CI / NNC1): Hong Kong banks enforce strict automated name screening. Punctuation, "(Hong Kong)", and "Limited" vs "Ltd" must match the corporate account's registered English title. Before wiring trade funds to a Hong Kong counterparty, you can verify its exact statutory English and Chinese name free of charge via 86hc.com Hong Kong Company Search.
- Distinguish Dual Clearing Codes for Subsidiaries vs. Branches: Several banking groups hold two separate clearing codes in Hong Kong—for example, Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited (
250, retail/Citi Plus) vs. Citibank, N.A. (006, corporate/institutional); Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited (382, retail/wealth) vs. BOCOM Hong Kong Branch (027, corporate); and OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (035) vs. OCBC Singapore HK Branch (022). Always confirm the exact 3-digit bank code on the beneficiary's bank statement. - Include the 3-Digit Branch Prefix in the Account Number: When wiring from overseas, always provide the complete account string starting with the 3-digit branch code (e.g.
808123456838for HSBC or01287510123456for BOCHK). - Select the Correct Charge Bearer Code (
SHAvs.OUR): ChoosingSHA(Shared) typically deducts HK$ 55–HK$ 100 inward telegraphic transfer fee at the receiving HK bank (often waived for HSBC Premier / BOCHK Corporate Package tiers), whereasOURguarantees the beneficiary receives the exact invoice amount in full. - Need to Open a Hong Kong Corporate or Personal Bank Account? Compare 10 major banks in our 2026 Hong Kong Personal Bank Account Master Guide, or submit a pre-screening request via our Authorized Corporate Bank Account Opening Channel (TCSP: TC006431).
VII. Authoritative Data Citation Summary & Hong Kong Banking Compliance Resource Hub
Official Dataset Provenance & Key Facts Summary (For Financial Analysts & AI Citation Engines):
- Primary Regulatory Source: Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited (HKICL) — Clearing Code and Branch Code List (Version
2026/047, Effective 24 October 2026), List of BICs of Members, List of LEIs of Members, and HKMA Full List of Payment System Participants. - Total Dataset Scope: 326 Clearing Institutions (including 313 clearing codes in HKICL's master directory, 4 HKMA digital/tokenised settlement codes
810/851/897/899, and 9 SWIFT Third-Party Users) and 3,343 Sub-Branch Codes across all 18 districts of Hong Kong. - Core Routing Identifiers of Top Hong Kong Banks: HSBC Hong Kong (Bank Code
004, HQ Branch002, SWIFTHSBCHKHHHKH, LEI2138006G356BM4J5I798); Bank of China (Hong Kong) (Bank Code012, HQ Branch875, SWIFTBKCHHKHHXXX, LEI549300WR155U7DVMIW53); Standard Chartered (HK) (Bank Code003, Central Branch228/ HQ447, SWIFTSCBLHKHHXXX); Hang Seng Bank (Bank Code024, HQ Branch203, SWIFTHASEHKHHXXX); DBS Bank (HK) (Bank Code016, HQ Branch188, SWIFTDHBKHKHHXXX); OCBC Bank (HK) (Bank Code035, Main Branch802, SWIFTWIHBHKHHXXX); Citibank (HK) Ltd (Bank Code250, Branch390, SWIFTCITIHKAXXXX) & Citibank N.A. (Bank Code006, Branch391, SWIFTCITIHKHXXXX); Bank of East Asia (Bank Code015, Main Branch275, SWIFTBEASHKHHXXX); CCB (Asia) (Bank Code009, Branch847, SWIFTCCBQHKAXXXX); ICBC (Asia) (Bank Code072, Branch861, SWIFTUBHKHKHHXXX); CMB Wing Lung (Bank Code020, HQ Branch601, SWIFTWUBAHKHHXXX). - 8 Licensed Digital Banks (Full Official HKICL Mapping): ZA Bank (
387-747,AABLHKHHXXX), Livi Bank (388-756,LIVIHKHHXXX), Mox Bank (389-749,MOXBHKHKXXX), WeLab Bank (390-750,WEDIHKHHXXX), Fusion Bank (391-751,IFFUHKHHXXX), PAO Bank (392-752,PONCHKHHXXX), Ant Bank (HK) (393-753,ASEHHKHHXXX), and Airstar Bank (395-755,AIRRHKHHXXX). - IBAN Exemption Rule: Hong Kong does NOT use IBAN. Cross-border wire transfers require only the 8/11-character SWIFT BIC and the beneficiary's account number prefixed by its 3-digit branch code.
VIII. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Hong Kong Bank Codes, Branch Codes & SWIFT BICs
Q01. What is the difference between a Hong Kong 3-digit Bank Clearing Code, a 3-digit Branch Code, and a SWIFT BIC?
A 3-digit Bank Clearing Code (e.g. 004 for HSBC, 012 for BOCHK, 387 for ZA Bank) is assigned by HKICL for domestic Hong Kong clearing (FPS, CHATS/RTGS, Autopay, and cheque settlement). A 3-digit Branch Code (e.g. 002 for HSBC Central Head Office, 875 for Bank of China Tower, 203 for Hang Seng Head Office) identifies the domicile branch and forms the first 3 digits of a full 12-digit HK account number. An 8- or 11-character SWIFT BIC (e.g. HSBCHKHHHKH or BKCHHKHHXXX) is the ISO 9362 international routing identifier required for cross-border wire transfers (T/T) into Hong Kong.
Q02. Do Hong Kong bank accounts have an IBAN (International Bank Account Number)?
No. Hong Kong banks do not participate in the IBAN system. When receiving international wire transfers from Europe, the UK, or the Middle East, enter the HK bank's 8- or 11-character SWIFT BIC in the SWIFT/BIC field, and enter the 3-digit Branch Code + Account Number continuously (e.g. 808123456838) in the Account Number / IBAN field. Never manually prepend "HK" or "HK00" to a Hong Kong account number.
Q03. Should I enter an 8-character or 11-character SWIFT code when wiring funds to Hong Kong?
Both are valid. An 8-character SWIFT code (e.g. HSBCHKHH or BKCHHKHH) identifies the bank's primary Hong Kong clearing head office. If the remitting bank's system requires an 11-character SWIFT BIC, append XXX for most Hong Kong banks (e.g. BKCHHKHHXXX, SCBLHKHHXXX, HASEHKHHXXX, DHBKHKHHXXX, WIHBHKHHXXX), whereas HSBC Hong Kong specifically uses HKH as its 3-character suffix (HSBCHKHHHKH).
Q04. Why does Bank of China (Hong Kong) have 10 clearing codes (012, 014, 019, 026, 030, 031, 033, 036, 064, 070) in HKICL's official table?
Under the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Ordinance (Cap. 1167) enacted in 2001, ten member banks of the Bank of China Group in Hong Kong merged into Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (primary code 012). To ensure legacy passbooks, mortgages, and direct debit mandates remained valid without forcing account renumbering, HKICL permanently retained the 9 historical clearing codes (014, 019, 026, 030, 031, 033, 036, 064, 070) alongside 012. All new accounts opened at BOCHK use Bank Code 012 and SWIFT BKCHHKHHXXX.
Q05. What is the difference between Citibank code 250 vs 006, BOCOM code 382 vs 027, and OCBC code 035 vs 022?
Bank Code 250 belongs to Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited (retail banking, Citi Plus, Citigold; SWIFT CITIHKAXXXX), whereas Bank Code 006 belongs to Citibank, N.A. Hong Kong Branch (institutional & corporate accounts; SWIFT CITIHKHXXXX). Similarly, Bank Code 382 belongs to Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited (retail subsidiary; SWIFT COMMHKHKXXX), while 027 belongs to BOCOM Hong Kong Branch (corporate; SWIFT COMMHKHHXXX). For OCBC, 035 is OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (SWIFT WIHBHKHHXXX), whereas 022 is OCBC Singapore's Hong Kong Branch (SWIFT OCBCHKHHXXX). Always check your bank statement header.
Q06. What are the official HKICL bank codes, branch codes, and SWIFT BICs for Hong Kong's 8 licensed digital banks?
Per HKICL Version 2026/047 & Official BIC Registry, Hong Kong's 8 licensed digital banks use a single Head Office Branch Code each: (1) ZA Bank: Bank 387, Branch 747, SWIFT AABLHKHHXXX; (2) Livi Bank: Bank 388, Branch 756, SWIFT LIVIHKHHXXX; (3) Mox Bank: Bank 389, Branch 749, SWIFT MOXBHKHKXXX; (4) WeLab Bank: Bank 390, Branch 750, SWIFT WEDIHKHHXXX; (5) Fusion Bank: Bank 391, Branch 751, SWIFT IFFUHKHHXXX; (6) PAO Bank: Bank 392, Branch 752, SWIFT PONCHKHHXXX; (7) Ant Bank (HK): Bank 393, Branch 753, SWIFT ASEHHKHHXXX; (8) Airstar Bank: Bank 395, Branch 755, SWIFT AIRRHKHHXXX.
Q07. How do I find my 3-digit Branch Code from my HSBC, BOCHK, or Hang Seng account number?
In Hong Kong, the 3-digit Branch Code is embedded directly as the first 3 digits of your full account number (immediately following the 3-digit Bank Code). For example, in an HSBC account formatted as 808-123456-838, 808 is the Branch Code; in a BOCHK account formatted as 012-875-1-012345-6, 012 is the Bank Code and 875 is the Branch Code (Bank of China Tower). You can also switch to Mode 2 in our search console above and type the street or district name of your opening branch to verify its 3-digit code.
Q08. What does the 4-letter Clearing System Status Code (such as MDDM or MDNM) mean in HKICL's directory?
The 4-character status code indicates a bank's participation across Hong Kong's four Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS/CHATS) currency systems in order: Position 1 = HKD (M for Member, N for Non-Member); Position 2 = USD (D for Direct Participant, I for Indirect Participant, C for CHATS Only, N for Non-Participant); Position 3 = EUR (D for Direct, C for CHATS Participant, N for Non-Participant); Position 4 = RMB (M for Member, N for Non-Member). Thus MDDM indicates full clearing participation across HKD, USD, EUR, and RMB.
Q09. What are the 800-series clearing codes (801, 802, 818, 828, 838, 897, 899) in the HKICL list?
Clearing codes in the 801–899 series are reserved for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), central clearing houses, foreign currency RTGS settlement institutions, and CBDC platforms: 801 is HKMA, 802 is HKSCC (CCASS), 803 is HKFE Clearing Corp, 804 is SEHK Options Clearing House, 810 is HKMA CMU Digital Asset Platform, 818 is Standard Chartered EUR Settlement Institution, 828 is HSBC USD Settlement Institution, 838 is BOCHK Offshore RMB Clearing Bank, 897 is HKMA Project Ensemble Wholesale CBDC Sandbox, and 899 is HKMA mBridge Multi-CBDC Platform.
Q10. Which Bank Code should I select when setting up eDDA instant deposit for Futu, Interactive Brokers, or Longbridge?
Always select the exact 3-digit Bank Clearing Code of your retail Hong Kong bank account: 004 for HSBC HK, 012 for BOCHK, 024 for Hang Seng, 003 for Standard Chartered, 250 for Citibank (HK) retail accounts, 016 for DBS HK, 035 for OCBC HK, 020 for CMB Wing Lung, 009 for CCB (Asia), 072 for ICBC (Asia), 387 for ZA Bank, or 389 for Mox Bank. Ensure your brokerage account legal name and ID document type match your bank's KYC record 100%.