How to send money to Hong Kong

As the fourth largest financial centre on the planet, and with the corporate tax rate sitting at around 16%, Hong Kong has become an increasingly desirable place for budding businesses. 

If you’re a business owner looking to expand into Asia Pacific (APAC), you’re probably considering Hong Kong as a potential target market. In this payment guide, we take you through everything business owners need to know about sending money to Hong Kong.  

First things first, let’s go over the fees. Depending on which method you use to send money to Hong Kong, and how regularly you make payments, you may face additional charges. Some expected charges include: 

• Outgoing transfer fees: you’ll most likely be charged a flat fee for sending an international transfer. A bank in the UK, for example, will typically charge between £20-£40.
  3S Money charges just $1 (or your local equivalent) per transfer, regardless of how much you send. More about 3S Money pricing. 
• Receiving fees: most UK banks charge around £7.50 for receiving payments from international bank accounts.
  3S Money charges £0.00. 
• Initiation fee: some banks may charge you a fee if you request the transfer over the phone or in person (rather than online). For a UK bank, you can expect this to be around £20. 
  3S Money doesn’t charge initiation fees

The Hong Kong dollar or ‘HKD’, is Hong Kong’s official currency, and there are three main commercial banks licensed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority that can issue their own banknotes. They are: 

• HSBC 
• Standard Chartered 
• Bank of China 

Let's delve into the currencies 3S Money supports when making payments to Hong Kong: 

Currencies Receiving from Hong Kong  

HKD,USD, GBP 

Currencies Sending from Hong Kong 

HKD,USD 

Now that we’ve covered the financial landscape, let’s move on to what payment methods are available for sending money to Hong Kong. As with most locations, there are a variety of payment networks supporting transfers to Hong Kong. Here’s an overview:   

International wire transfers  

Wire transfers use a network of banks and other financial services around the world to send money both quickly and safely from bank account to bank account. There are plenty of traditional banks in Hong Kong that offer wire transfer services. Including the likes of:  

• Standard Chartered Bank 
• HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) 
• Bank of China (Hong Kong) 
• Hang Seng Bank 
• DBS Bank 

Online money transfer services  

With the rise of fintech, online money transfer services are gradually becoming the dominant method of sending money to Hong Kong.  Electronic money institutions like 3S Money, offer quicker services with lower fees – as well as high levels of security. 

Debit card, credit card, or direct debit  

Debit and credit cards are another way to transfer money to Hong Kong. Card payments are often quicker than bank transfers, but they may carry heavier fees - which can eat into your margins! Credit card transfers can be especially expensive, so make sure you’re getting the best deal when using this method. While there are advantages to using debit cards and direct debits for Hong Kong payments, they typically aren’t as safe as wire transfers. 

Alipay and WeChat Pay 

With the Alipay mobile wallet, users can enjoy faster, safer payments to Hong Kong, Chinese mainland, Macau, Japan, South Korea and more. WeChat Pay also allows users to make instant mobile payments. Though more popular with B2C payments, WeChat supports merchants in Hong Kong. 

How long does it take to send a payment to Hong Kong? The truth is,  typical transfer times vary between providers. At 3S Money, we use the SWIFT network for international payments to Hong Kong, which can take between one and five days. Don’t forget, there are other factors that can have an impact on transfer times, such as: 

• Banking hours 
• Public holidays 
• Time zones 

What information is required when making business payments to Hong Kong? 

As with any other international payment process, there are a few key documents and details that will be required for sending and receiving payments to Hong Kong. These include: 

• Valid government-issued ID. 
• Recipient’s full name or business name and address. 
• Any other information requested by your payment provider. 

As with any other international payment process, there are a few key documents and details that will be required for sending and receiving payments from Hong Kong. These include: 

• Valid government-issued ID. 
• Recipient’s full name or business name and address. 
• Compliance with International Money Laundering legislation. 
• Any other information requested by your payment provider. 

Traditional banks offering conventional corporate accounts just don’t cut it in the modern world. As a result, more businesses are opting for digital banking solutions, like 3S Money, over traditional banks. 

3S Money is an electronic money institution (EMI) offering multi-currency business accounts that suit the needs of different enterprise-level businesses. There are lots of benefits that make 3S Money an attractive business banking solution. Here are a few: 

• Transparent fees.
• Access to new global markets - overr 65 global currencies, including the Hong Kong dollar (HKD).
• Competitive exchange rates.  
• Speedy international payments and transfers.
• Dedicated client support.
• Safe and secure payments - you can read our Safeguarding Statement here. 

We firmly believe that payment transfers should never be a hassle, wherever you are in the world. With this outward-looking attitude, our goal is to help SMEs generate growth and prosperity on the global stage. When it comes to Hong Kong specifically, you can’t go wrong with a low-fee, high-speed 3S Money business bank account.  

Get the journey started by heading over to our express eligibility checker. After a quick review of your details, we’ll be in touch within minutes to confirm pre-approval. Get the business banking process started today.