HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
HSBC Holdings plc (Chinese: 滙豐; lit. 'focus of wealth') is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, with historical and business links to East Asia and a multinational footprint. According to S&P Global's April 2026 report, HSBC is Europe's second-largest bank by assets, with $3.212 trillion in assets. This also puts it as the eighth-largest bank in the world by total assets and the third-largest non-state owned bank in the world.
Basic company information
Each field links to its source. Financial figures retain their reporting periods; background references are identified in the source list.
- Ticker / security symbols
- HSBC, HBCYF [1]
- Listing exchanges
- NYSE, OTC [1]
- SEC industry
- Savings Institution, Federally Chartered [1]
- Business sectors
- economics of banking; financial sector; insurance; financial services [2]
- Company / filing name
- HSBC HOLDINGS PLC [1]
- Headquarters location
- 8 Canada Square [2]
- Business address
- 8 CANADA SQUARE, LONDON, X0, E145HQ [1]
- Founded
- 1865 [2]
- Legal form
- public limited company [2]
- Leadership in background record
- Noel Quinn [2]
- Founders
- Thomas Sutherland [2]
- Official website
- https://hsbc.co.uk; https://hsbc.com/; https://www.hsbc.ca/; https://www.hsbc.com.ar/; https://www.hsbc.com.br; https://www.hsbc.com.hk/ [2]
- Employees
- 219,697 · reported year 2021 [2]
- Annual revenue
- USD 62,440,000,000 · reported year 2024 [2]
- Fiscal year end
- December 31 (SEC record) [1]
- ISIN (reported securities)
- GB0005405286 [2]
- CIK
- 0001089113 [1]
- SIC code
- 6035 [1]
- Country in background record
- United Kingdom [2]
Company positioning and business
HSBC Holdings plc (Chinese: 滙豐; lit. 'focus of wealth') is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, with historical and business links to East Asia and a multinational footprint. According to S&P Global's April 2026 report, HSBC is Europe's second-largest bank by assets, with $3.212 trillion in assets. This also puts it as the eighth-largest bank in the world by total assets and the third-largest non-state owned bank in the world. [3]
HSBC traces its origins to a hong trading house in British Hong Kong. The bank was established in 1865 in Hong Kong and opened branches in Shanghai in the same year. It was formally incorporated in 1866 as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. In 1991, the current parent company, HSBC Holdings plc, was established in London and the historic Hong Kong–based bank from which the group took its name became that entity's wholly owned subsidiary. The following year (1992), HSBC took over Midland Bank, becoming one of the largest domestic banks in the United Kingdom. [3]
HSBC has offices, branches and subsidiaries in 57 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America, serving around 39 million customers. As of 2025, it was ranked number 15 in the world in the Forbes Global 2000, a ranking of large companies made by Forbes by sales, profits, assets, and market value. HSBC has a primary share listing on the London Stock Exchange and branch listings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange. Its shares are also listed on the New York Stock Exchange through the American depositary receipt programme. It is a constituent of the Hang Seng Index and the FTSE 100 Index. [3]
Background text: Wikipedia contributors, HSBC. Selected introductory paragraphs, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Official filing data is cited separately.
Management and corporate governance
The Wikidata background record identifies Noel Quinn in the chief-executive role. This background entry is not an official confirmation of the current board or executive roster. [2]
Understanding company scale
Employees: 219,697 · reported year 2021. [2]
Annual revenue: USD 62,440,000,000 · reported year 2024. [2]
Financial year, securities and disclosures
The SEC submissions record gives HSBC HOLDINGS PLC a fiscal year end of 1231 (MMDD). Individual filings below identify their own reporting period; the filing date is the publication event, not the financial year end. [1]
Listed securities: HSBC (NYSE), HBCYF (OTC). Multiple symbols may represent different share classes or securities of the same registrant. [4]
History and key events
Financial results and regulatory disclosures
Annual, quarterly and current reports from the collected SEC record. Insider Forms 4 and 144 are excluded. This is a selected list, not a live filing feed.
Source-verified relationships
Related entities and concepts
Frequently asked questions
When was HSBC HOLDINGS PLC founded?
Founded: 1865. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Where is the headquarters of HSBC HOLDINGS PLC?
Headquarters location: 8 Canada Square. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
Which business sectors are recorded for HSBC HOLDINGS PLC?
Business sectors: economics of banking; financial sector; insurance; financial services. The linked source provides the background record. [2]
HSBC HOLDINGS PLC relationship map
Select a node to inspect its relationship and source.
3 verified direct relationships. Industry peers are not relationship edges.
Sources and review dates
- SEC — HSBC HOLDINGS PLC filing identity and securities ↗
- Wikidata — company background record (CC0) ↗
- Wikipedia contributors — HSBC (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗
- SEC securities directory ↗
- Company chronology / filing ↗
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Financial periods and historical event dates are shown separately. Figures reflect their stated source dates; this page is not a live quote or investment recommendation.