🇭🇰 Sending to Hong Kong¶
HK · HKG · +852 · East Asia
National format SWIFT BIC required
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Required information¶
For your end users
Double-check the beneficiary's full name (no initials), account number, and bank SWIFT/BIC against what their bank has on file. International wires can take 1-5 business days and may be delayed by sanctions screening.
Real-Time Alternative
FPS (Faster Payment System)
Last reviewed by GIB compliance on 2026-05-21. Reference material only.
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Currency
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Typical settlement
1-2 business days typical; longer for cross-border with FX or compliance review.
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SWIFT BIC
Required
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Local clearing
CHATS / FPS
Account format¶
How beneficiary account numbers are structured for Hong Kong. Failure to match this format is the single most common reason wires are rejected at the destination.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Format tier | National format |
| Length | 9-12 digits total; typically 3-digit branch code + bank-specific account number |
| Example | 293-005005007 |
Routing identifiers¶
Which routing codes the wire-creation API call must include for Hong Kong.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| SWIFT BIC | Required |
| Branch identifier | Required |
| Branch Code | Required |
| Format | 3 digits |
| Directory | ↗ Source |
| Local clearing | CHATS / FPS |
Address format¶
How Hong Kong expects the beneficiary address to appear on the wire. Free-form variations frequently trigger compliance holds.
- Full Name
- Flat/Unit, Floor, Building Name
- Street Number and Street Name
- District
- Hong Kong
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Postal code | Optional — this country has no postal code format |
Purpose of payment¶
Put a code from the ISO 20022 list in <Purp><Cd> (purpose_code).
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Code format | No purpose-of-payment code required. |
Remittance info¶
Extra content the regulator requires inside the free-text remittance field, beyond the purpose-of-payment code.
Standard remittance-info field - clearly identify the economic reason for the payment.
Operational notes¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| FX minimum (USD) | $25 |
| Currencies accepted | HKD, USD |
| Typical settlement | 1-2 business days typical; longer for cross-border with FX or compliance review. |
| Banking holidays | ↗ Calendar |
Known issues:
- Hong Kong does not use postal codes. Use any of: 'N/A', '999077', or '000000'.
Common rejection reasons¶
Documented patterns that cause this country's banks to return wires. Universal reasons (sanctions holds, missing BIC) aren't repeated here.
Missing 3-digit branch code in account number.
Beneficiary name mismatch.
Sanctions or compliance hold.
Validate before you send¶
Check identifiers before you submit. The IBAN check runs in your browser (format plus the ISO 13616 MOD-97 check digit). GIB's API checks the IBAN format for countries where an IBAN is required. The BIC lookup searches GIB's BIC directory and needs a dashboard login.
BIC lookup
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References¶
First-party sources — central banks, FX regulators, ISO registries. Always re-verify against these before pushing volume to a new corridor.
Disclaimer
These country guides aggregate information from central banks, regulators, and industry-standard references. Global Innovations Bank reviews them on a rolling cadence and notes the verification date on each page. Payment-corridor rules change between releases, so we cannot guarantee continued accuracy.
Always verify against the primary sources linked in the References section before going live in a new corridor. Re-check applicable sanctions lists (OFAC, EU, UK, UN consolidated, and any state-level requirements) at the time of payment, since designations shift between our refreshes.
For fintech partners on GIB's sponsor-bank rails, these guides do not replace your BSA/AML, KYC, sanctions-screening, or transaction-monitoring obligations under your program agreement with GIB.
Nothing in this material constitutes legal, tax, or regulatory advice, and wire-acceptance decisions remain at the discretion of GIB Compliance and the destination bank.