If you want to set up your own company, you have to be well-prepared, and applying for a commercial bank account is one of the necessary elements. What are the different banks in Hong Kong? What is the difference between opening a company bank account and a personal bank account? How long does it take to open a company account in a bank? How much does it cost? Read on to find out more about the requirements for opening a company bank account in no time!
Why do You need a Business Account?
There are 3 main reasons why startup companies choose to apply for a corporate bank account:
- Comply with regulatory requirements: Banks have always had stringent compliance requirements and will pay extra attention to unusual fund flows; if a merchant makes payments from a personal account and the amount involved is huge, the bank may freeze the account for investigation, which will affect the company's operation; opening a company account with a bank will prevent similar incidents from occurring.
- Convenient financial management: Start-up bank accounts have a lot of incoming and outgoing payments, so it would be too complicated and confusing for a merchant to handle both personal and company funds in a personal account at the same time. Opening a company account ensures that personal and company finances are kept separate and enhances the transparency of the company's accounts, especially when regulators require a check on the fund records of limited company bank accounts.
- Enjoy additional services: After opening a business account, the bank will provide exclusive financial services to corporate clients, such as corporate-specific interest rates and financing solutions, etc., so that the company can utilise the various banking services at a more favourable price, so a business registration bank account can be considered a must.
Time it Takes to Open an Account in 8 Major Banks
Unlike opening a personal account, there are more stringent vetting procedures for opening a business account, so banks need more time to check the documents for opening a business bank account. Below is a summary of the time required to open a business account at different corporate banks:



