Bank of Communications
Bank of Communications is one of China's Big Six state-owned commercial banks, headquartered in Shanghai, providing corporate banking, retail banking, treasury operations, and wealth management services to enterprises, government entities, and individuals across China and via Hong Kong and Macao branches.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1908
- HeadquartersShanghai, China
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Bank of Communications does
Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. (BoCom) is one of China's six largest state-owned commercial banks, headquartered in Shanghai and publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (3328.HK), Shanghai Stock Exchange (601328.SS), and OTC markets (BCMXY). Founded in 1908, the bank operates across four core segments: corporate banking, retail banking, treasury operations, and wealth management/private banking, serving large enterprises and government entities, retail consumers, and high-net-worth individuals (with over 100,000 private banking clients as of H1 2025). Its distribution spans an extensive domestic branch network plus wholly owned Hong Kong and Macao branches and correspondent banking relationships globally.
BoCom's core technology infrastructure combines traditional core banking systems with newer digital finance capabilities, including participation in the mBridge multi-CBDC cross-border settlement platform (with the Macao branch executing first digital pataca and digital yuan transactions in June 2026), direct CFETS platform connectivity authorized by the People's Bank of China for offshore RMB forex trading from mainland headquarters, and gold market infrastructure built via cooperation with the Shanghai Gold Exchange. The bank has issued RMB 30 billion in loss-absorbing capacity bonds (November 2025) and participated in syndicated sustainability-linked lending (e.g., CDB Aviation's $710M facility, December 2025).
The bank's revenue model is transaction- and interest-driven across its four segments — corporate banking (loans, deposits, trade finance, cash management fees), retail banking (accounts, retail lending, consumer banking), treasury operations (proprietary trading, FX, investment portfolio), and wealth management (advisory, portfolio management, private banking subscriptions). As a state-owned bank, BoCom is subject to government directives to support the real economy, which has compressed net interest margins; Q1 2026 net profit grew 3.1% year-over-year, in line with Big Six peers. Q1 2026 quarterly revenue was approximately $9.09 billion per analyst consensus, implying an annualized revenue base above $25 billion.
Bank of Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bank of Communications
- Legal name
- Bank of Communications Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://bankcomm.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1908
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Bank of Communications is one of China's Big Six state-owned commercial banks, headquartered in Shanghai, providing corporate banking, retail banking, treasury operations, and wealth management services to enterprises, government entities, and individuals across China and via Hong Kong and Macao branches.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bank of Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022), National Commercial Banks (6021)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Retail Banking (Online & Mobile) (FSABAAAF)
Keywords
Where Bank of Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shanghai
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bank of Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Corporate Banking: Traditional banking services for corporate clients including loans, deposits, trade finance, and cash management. Revenue generated through interest spreads, transaction fees, and service commissions.
- Retail Banking: Banking services for individual customers including personal accounts, retail lending, wealth management products, and consumer banking services.
- Treasury Operations: Proprietary trading, foreign exchange operations, money market activities, and investment portfolio management generating trading and investment revenues.
- Wealth Management Services: Private banking and wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals, including investment advisory, portfolio management, and exclusive banking products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels1 record
Bank of Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bank of Communications is a major Chinese state-owned commercial bank that provides corporate banking (corporate loans, deposits, trade finance, cash management), retail banking (personal accounts, consumer lending), treasury operations (proprietary trading, FX, money market activities), and wealth management/private banking services for high-net-worth individuals. It also delivers cross-border digital finance solutions through the mBridge multi-CBDC platform and gold market services via the Shanghai Gold Exchange ecosystem.
Product overview
Bank of Communications is a state-owned commercial bank headquartered in Shanghai, China. It offers corporate banking, retail banking, treasury operations, and wealth management services. Based on the source data, the bank's product portfolio includes digital finance innovations such as cross-border financial services solutions, e-commerce platforms, digital ecosystem offerings, and participation in the mBridge multi-CBDC platform for cross-border digital finance transactions. The bank also engages in treasury operations including bond issuances such as loss-absorbing capacity bonds, and provides wealth management services including private banking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Corporate Banking Comprehensive corporate banking services including corporate loans, deposits, trade finance, cash management, and investment banking services for large state-owned enterprises, multinational corporations, and government institutions.
- Retail Banking Personal banking services for individual customers including personal accounts, retail lending, consumer loans, and digital banking platforms for everyday transactions across China.
- Wealth Management and Private Banking Private banking and wealth management services for high-net-worth individuals, including investment advisory, portfolio management, exclusive banking products, and wealth preservation solutions.
- Treasury Operations Proprietary trading, foreign exchange operations, money market activities, and investment portfolio management generating trading and investment revenues for institutional and corporate clients.
- Cross-Border Digital Finance via mBridge Cross-border digital finance services leveraging the mBridge multi-CBDC platform to enable digital pataca remittances, digital yuan collections, and cross-border trade settlement between mainland China and Macao.
- Offshore RMB Forex Trading via CFETS Direct offshore RMB forex trading service conducted from mainland headquarters through the CFETS platform, enabling direct intervention in offshore liquidity through onshore adjustments.
- Gold Market Services Gold market services including trading, clearing, settlement, delivery, and storage management for gold market participants operating through the Shanghai Gold Exchange ecosystem.
- Digital Ecosystem and Cross-Border Financial Services Solutions Cross-border financial services solutions and digital ecosystem offerings showcased at major industry events such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE), supporting cross-border trade, e-commerce, and digital capital projects.
Companies that use Bank of Communications
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bank of Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Bank of Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Shanghai Gold ExchangecoreBank of Communications and Shanghai Gold Exchange signed a memorandum of cooperation in Shanghai on June 22, 2026, with both institutions' leadership present. The partnership focuses on improving gold market services, optimizing fund clearing and settlement, and exploring an 'exchange-branch linkage' cooperation mechanism to advance market innovation. The agreement aims to support national strategies, maintain sound gold market operations, and contribute to Shanghai International Financial Center development and real economy growth.
- People's Bank of China / CFETScoreThe People's Bank of China authorized six major state-owned banks including Bank of Communications to conduct offshore RMB forex trading directly from mainland headquarters through the CFETS platform, ending previous reliance on free-trade zone branches. This mechanism enables more direct intervention in offshore liquidity through onshore adjustments to prevent exchange rate overshooting risks.
- Monetary Authority of MacaocoreThe Monetary Authority of Macao officially launched mBridge platform trading, enabling Bank of Communications' Macao branch to complete cross-border transactions. The partnership marks a breakthrough in mBridge application in Macao, with BOCOM aiming to leverage its global service network to expand the platform's application across cross-border settlement, trade finance, and China-Portugal economic cooperation.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bank of Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China: The largest of China's 'Big Six' state-owned commercial banks, ICBC is BoCom's closest direct peer, offering the same full suite of corporate, retail, treasury, and wealth management services across China's largest branch network. Comparable scale, state ownership, and product mix make ICBC the primary benchmark for BoCom.
- China Construction Bank: One of the 'Big Six' Chinese state-owned commercial banks, CCB competes head-to-head with BoCom in corporate lending, retail deposits, and wealth management. CCB's co-investment alongside BoCom in the National Investment Sci-Tech Innovation Fund further underscores their parallel positioning as state-directed universal banks.
- Agricultural Bank of China: Another 'Big Six' state-owned commercial bank, ABC offers the same corporate, retail, treasury, and wealth management product set as BoCom and posted comparable Q1 2026 profit growth. ABC's rural and county-level network contrasts with BoCom's more urban and international orientation but they compete in the same large-enterprise and HNW segments.
- Bank of China: Bank of China is BoCom's most internationally focused peer within the 'Big Six,' with comparable cross-border settlement, trade finance, and overseas branch capabilities. BOC's deeper global footprint overlaps with BoCom's Hong Kong and Macao operations and its CFETS offshore RMB trading license.
- Postal Savings Bank of China: PSBC is the sixth member of China's 'Big Six' state-owned commercial banks and competes with BoCom in retail deposits, consumer lending, and rural/urban fringe banking. PSBC's larger deposit base and rural network make it a peer in retail funding competition and similar state-directed credit obligations.
- China Merchants Bank: China Merchants Bank is the largest Chinese joint-stock commercial bank and competes directly with BoCom in retail banking, wealth management, and credit cards. CMB's stronger retail brand and digital banking franchise set the benchmark BoCom's digital transformation efforts are measured against.
Others
- HSBC Holdings: HSBC was BoCom's most prominent minority strategic shareholder and remains a relevant comparable for cross-border banking and trade finance. HSBC's $2.1B write-down on BoCom in February 2026 makes it both a historic investor and a useful benchmark for international valuation of Chinese bank stakes.
Regional players
- Standard Chartered: Standard Chartered is an international bank with deep Asia/China cross-border banking, trade finance, and wealth management operations that overlap with BoCom's Macao, Hong Kong, and CFETS-linked activities. It is a relevant peer for benchmarking BoCom's offshore RMB and trade finance capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bank of Communications social profiles
Digital presenceBank of Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bank of Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Bank of Communications subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Bank of Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bank of Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments36 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bank of Communications
What does Bank of Communications do?
Bank of Communications is a major Chinese state-owned commercial bank that provides corporate banking (corporate loans, deposits, trade finance, cash management), retail banking (personal accounts, consumer lending), treasury operations (proprietary trading, FX, money market activities), and wealth management/private banking services for high-net-worth individuals. It also delivers cross-border digital finance solutions through the mBridge multi-CBDC platform and gold market services via the Shanghai Gold Exchange ecosystem.
Is Bank of Communications a public or private company?
Bank of Communications is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Bank of Communications founded?
Bank of Communications was founded in 1908. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Bank of Communications based?
Bank of Communications is headquartered in Shanghai, China, in the Asia region.
How does Bank of Communications make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate Banking is the primary driver. The others are retail Banking, treasury Operations and wealth Management Services.
Who are Bank of Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Postal Savings Bank of China and China Merchants Bank. HSBC Holdings is listed as an others. Standard Chartered is listed as a regional player.
Does Bank of Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bank of Communications.
What industry is Bank of Communications in?
Bank of Communications's product category is Commercial Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAAAA, Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings), with a secondary code of FSABAAAF, Digital Retail Banking (Online & Mobile). Its NAICS code is 52211 and its SIC code is 6022.