Compassionate and charitable, Hong Kong people can achieve seriously amazing feats! In December 2020, 20 charitable individuals set the world record for “largest one-time display of banknote origami” by making 5,000 origami hearts in 35 hours. The display, which takes over half an hour just to arrange, spans as wide as 4m x 9m.

All the banknote origami hearts, valued at HKD224,300, were donated to two Hong Kong charity organizations, spreading love to seniors and children in need!

The 60s saw the dawn of Hong Kong’s economic explosion, with a skyrocketing export sector fueling a thriving manufacturing industry. The Yau Ma Tei and Mongkok areas at the time was bustling and hustling as ever. To satisfy customers’ booming demand for banking services, Hang Seng opened its very first branch at Alhambra Building on Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei. In September of that same year, we opened our second branch in Mongkok.

The Hang Seng Index (HSI) was created by Dr. Ho Sin Hang, one of Hang Seng’s founders, and Sir Lee Guo Wei, the former chairman. It was originally created to measure stock market trends for internal use, but subsequently published to the public on 24th November 1969 after being observed to reflect market conditions. Initially, 33 listed company stocks were selected to be the constituent stocks (i.e. today’s "blue chip stocks"). The closing point on the first day was 158.5. The Hang Seng Index is an important indicator of the Hong Kong stock market performance, and is considered the barometer of the Hong Kong stock market. By the end of December 2022, its number of constituent stocks has been increased to 76.

Always staying in touch with economic development and investor needs, the Hang Seng Indexes Co., Ltd. has launched indexes of different categories such as ESG-related indexes and smart beta indexes. Today, the Hang Seng Index, the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index and the Hang Seng Tech Index are positioned as the three flagship indexes in Hong Kong.

Hang Seng hosts a staggering 247,000 safe deposit boxes!

The former Central headquarters building, completed in 1962, was already hosting 10,000 safe deposit boxes at the time. The Kowloon headquarters also housed 13,000 boxes when it went into service in 1971. As the economy grew, so did the demand for safe deposit boxes. Today, we have 25 branches offering safe deposit boxes.

Currently, the number of safe deposit boxes in the Kowloon headquarters has increased to 26,000 - the largest number in a Hang Seng branch; the Central headquarters has also increased the number to 19,000.

Among the six core members of Hong Kong representatives participating in the 2020 Olympics, five of them are alumni of the ‘Hang Seng Table Tennis Academy’, including, Doo Hoi Kem, Minnie Soo, Lee Ho Ching, Wong Chun Ting and Lam Siu Hang.

In 1991, Hang Seng sponsored the ‘Hang Seng Table Tennis Community Development Programme’ to support the table tennis sports in Hong Kong. In 2001, Hang Seng Table Tennis Academy was founded to further provide specialist and holistic training and activities to nurture our young table tennis talents. For many years, the Academy has nurtured over 65,000 members, 140 people have become members of the Hong Kong table tennis team or Hong Kong table tennis youth team, held over 7,900 events and benefited over 420,000 individuals.

By international standards, a building only has to reach 100m to qualify for skyscraper status. That’s just 25-30 floors – nothing to write home about for us Hong Kongers! Actually, Hong Kong ranks top 3 in the list of worldwide cities with the most skyscrapers. With over 2500 sky-high buildings at a combined height of 300,000m, our number surpasses even New York and London!

In December 2019, Hang Seng became the first bank in Hong Kong to introduce the NFC Mobile Cash Withdrawal Service. Customers only have to set a "Mobile Cash Withdrawal" instruction through the Banking Mobile App, and they can get cash easily by simply tapping their mobile phone on the NFC device or scanning the ATM’s on-screen QR code. The NFC mobile Cash Withdrawal Service became available in all of Hang Seng’s ATMs in Hong Kong in 2020.

“Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect” is a cornerstone of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program. In May 2022, Hang Seng opened its first Cross-boundary Wealth Management Centre at Sheung Shui’s San Fung Avenue Branch.

The centre design, based on the theme of “driving the connection of cities”, reflects the close ties and synergies that exist between the cities in the Greater Bay Area. Our expert team of designated cross-boundary wealth management professionals is knowledgeable in the mainland market as well as customer needs. With extensive experience in the relevant financial services, they make one-stop cross-border wealth management available to customers in need.

In 2021 Q2, Hang Seng completed the installation of 138 solar panels on the roof of Hang Seng 113 Building. The solar power system will generate 630,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity over the next 10 years, which is equivalent to planting 7,500 trees and charging more than 50 million smartphones.

From September 2021 to January 2023, the system has already generated 73,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity.

We are committed to making banking simpler and more convenient for our customers through digital innovations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we prioritized the rolling out of our e-Ticketing service so that it could be available in all street-level branches in 12 months.

Customers wishing to visit one of the branches may bypass the queue and minimise waiting time by obtaining an e-Ticket via smartphone. The e-Banking app will even show their ticket number and the ticket that is being served at the time, so that customers can monitor their virtual ‘queue position’ in real time through the app.

From humble beginnings to international stardom! In 2014, UNESCO released the first list of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage, and both stocking milk tea and yuen yeung made the list under the domain "traditional craftsmanship”! Our beloved cha chaan teng culture finally got the recognition it deserves. This calls for a drink!

Launched in September 2022, our new Wan Chai Business Banking Centre was the first centre of its kind to integrate ESG elements into the centre design. There is even a hydroponics farming system that grows fresh produce to serve our colleagues in the Central headquarters.

The centre combines business banking services, green finance and professional ESG consultation services to provide a complete spectrum of sustainable business solutions.

Hang Seng understands that many young people who wish to acquire investment experience may find the first step difficult. In the early stage of product development for SimplyFund, we recruited a group of young colleagues and investment beginners to join the team and collected a lot of ideas and trial feedbacks from them. In 2020, the new one-stop fund investment service was launched, with minimum investment as low as HK$1. Customers can easily subscribe for fund portfolios covering technology, ESG, global, mainland and Hong Kong by simply completing transactions on the mobile app.

At that time, no similar product was available in the market to use as reference. Developed with just the team’s innovative spirit, SimplyFund features a simple and easy-to-use interface, supplemented with discount monthly fee as low as HK$0, quiz games with prizes and Fund 101 tutorial. All these made SimplyFund hugely popular among young people. It also won the International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2021 – Best Financial Assets/Market Trading Service issued by The Asian Banker.

Hang Seng is the first bank in Hong Kong to appoint a digital KOL to represent its Digital Banking brand, showcasing how technology and innovation can release many life’s constraints. Hazel loves to explore and craves novelty. Her adventures even led her to record her own song and star in commercials. Adaptable and versatile, Hazel’s character reflects Hang Seng’s deep understanding of customers’ changing attitudes as well as desire to refine and innovate. Our customers, like Hazel, always opt for All of The Above (AOTA).

Hazel shares her tips and experience on digital and physical banking services as well as wealth management via IG. Also, she’s always on the look out for the latest trends to connect with us in many exciting ways.

Follow Hazel IG：@hazel_aota

On 19th September 2022, Hang Seng Investment Management Limited (‘HSVM’) was appointed as new manager of Tracker Fund of Hong Kong (TraHK). On the same day, HSVM launched the RMB counter for TraHK, giving the option to easily and conveniently conduct transactions in RMB as well as HKD under a Dual Counter model. What’s more, it helps to further enhance Hong Kong’s position and development as a global offshore RMB business hub, as well as status as an international finance centre.

Hong Kong’s decades of rapid and sustained economic growth have created a prosperous society and a lot of wealthy people. According to an international research report published in 2022, Hong Kong ranks 12th in the list of cities with the most millionaires in the world, and 3rd among cities in China! Keep in mind: we’re talking about USD here!

Catering for the needs of the masses, Hang Seng is committed to promoting financial inclusion across the community. At the end of 2017, Hang Seng set up Mobile Branches in remote areas to provide basic banking services such as account opening, cash deposit and withdrawal, cheque deposit and fund transfer, etc. to cater for the needs of grassroots citizens - first in the 3 public housing estates of Kai Tak Kai Ching Estate, Kwun Tong On Tat Estate and Yuen Long Hung Fuk Estate. By the end of January 2023, we already have 2 Mobile Branches taking weekly turns to provide services to residents of 9 public housing estates including Cheung Wang Estate, Hung Fuk Estate, Kai Ching Estate, Kwong Fuk Estate, Long Shin Estate, Man Tung Estate, On Tai Estate, On Tat Estate and Ying Tung Estate.

Did you know that the number of physical cheques deposited by Hang Seng customers in 2021 totaled a staggering 10 million?

Hang Seng is the first bank to introduce an easy and convenient Mobile Cheque Deposit service in 2022. It enables both Hang Seng personal and business customers to deposit cheques with a snap via Hang Seng Personal Banking or Hang Seng Business Mobile App anytime, anywhere.

In 2017, Hang Seng became the first bank to provide 12 foreign currencies on ATMs. The 12 foreign currencies* include Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Euro, British pound, Korean won, Japanese yen, New Zealand dollar, Singapore dollar, Thai baht, New Taiwan dollar and US dollar. There are currently 106 foreign currency ATMs all across Hong Kong.

Customers can now choose to withdraw foreign currency directly from their integrated account, or exchange foreign currency in advance at their desired exchange rate through e-banking before withdrawing cash at a foreign currency ATM.

*Some service sites only provide 8 foreign currencies.

In 2022, Hang Seng launched a series of green products, services and offers associated with essential everyday living, daily spending as well as banking and investment, so that personal banking customers can play a more active role in building a low-carbon society.

Apart from the Green Mortgage and Electric Vehicle Loans, Hang Seng has also launched offers to encourage customers to make ESG investment for Hang Seng strives to contribute to a newer, greener future.

All banknotes are not created equal, and that’s for a good reason! The Hong Kong bank notes are designed with different lengths to help the visually-challenged differentiate denomination. Besides using touch, they can also use a special note-measuring templates embossed with braille to help them identify face value. An invisible yet thoughtful touch!