Cathay Bank
Cathay Bank is a U.S. regional commercial bank founded in 1962 to serve the AAPI community, operating over 60 branches across nine states plus a Hong Kong branch and representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei, and serving retail, SMB, and cross-border customers through its parent Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY).
- Company typePublic
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersEl Monte, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Cathay Bank does
Cathay Bank is a U.S. regional commercial bank founded in 1962 in Los Angeles as the first commercial bank in Southern California established by Chinese Americans, with a chartered mission to serve the historically underserved Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrant community. The bank operates over 60 physical branches across nine U.S. states—California, New York, Washington, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, and New Jersey—supplemented by a full-service Hong Kong branch and representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei to facilitate cross-border banking for U.S.-Asia commercial and consumer flows. Cathay Bank operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY), a publicly traded holding company with a $3.6 billion market capitalization and an 11.99x earnings multiple as of April 2026.
The bank's product platform spans four segments: Personal Banking (five checking account variants, six savings/CD/IRA products, home mortgages, HELOC, personal credit cards including CUBE, and digital banking channels); Business Banking (commercial checking, treasury management with Autobooks and MyCorporation integrations, SBA 504 and 7(a) programs, CRE/C&I lending, and Bank@Work employee banking); International Banking (FX Online trading, foreign currency accounts, remittance, FX risk management, and Hong Kong branch services); and Wealth Management (IRAs, mutual funds, annuities, insurance, and advisory services distributed through Cetera Investment Services). Underlying technology is conventional digital banking infrastructure—Cathay Online Banking and Business Online Banking platforms, iOS/Android mobile apps with Touch ID and multifactor authentication, RSA-2048-bit encryption, DigiCert server certificates, DMARC and BIMI email security, plus Zelle and SavvyMoney integrations. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, or research programs are evidenced.
Cathay Bank generates revenue through four primary streams: net interest income on home mortgages, commercial real estate loans, C&I loans, and SBA programs (the largest stream); transactional fees from wire transfers, overdraft, and account service charges; wealth management and insurance commissions via Cetera partnerships; and credit card interchange revenue including co-branded card promotions such as McDonald's CUBE cashback. Customer acquisition is relationship-led through physical branches, community events (49 years of annual charity golf tournaments, UCLA Anderson Forecast economic outlook seminars), multilingual digital channels, and segmented sales motion for SMB, retail, and international customers. Pricing is at prevailing market rates with no publicly disclosed schedule.
Cathay Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cathay Bank
- Legal name
- Cathay Bank
- Website
- https://cathaybank.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Cathay Bank is a U.S. regional commercial bank founded in 1962 to serve the AAPI community, operating over 60 branches across nine states plus a Hong Kong branch and representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei, and serving retail, SMB, and cross-border customers through its parent Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cathay Bank industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022), National Commercial Banks (6021)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking (FSABABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA), Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI), Real Estate (Commercial Property, REITs) (FSABACAH), Financial Inclusion & Basic Banking (Unbanked/Underbanked, Low-Fee Accounts) (FSABAAAL)
Keywords
Where Cathay Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- El Monte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Cathay Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Net Interest Income: Cathay Bank generates revenue primarily through interest earned on loans including home mortgages, commercial real estate loans, business loans, and SBA loan programs, offset by interest paid on deposits.
- Banking Fees and Service Charges: Fees from account maintenance, wire transfers, overdraft services, and other banking service charges across personal and business checking and savings accounts.
- Wealth Management and Insurance Products: Revenue from investment IRAs, mutual funds, annuities, insurance products, and advisory services offered through partnerships with Cetera Investment Services and Cetera Investment Advisers.
- Credit Card Revenue: Revenue from CUBE credit card interchange fees and partnerships including cashback programs with merchants like McDonald's.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Banking services offered at standard market rates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cathay Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cathay Bank is a regional commercial bank offering deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs), consumer lending (home mortgages, HELOCs, personal credit cards), business banking (checking, treasury management, SBA loans, commercial real estate lending), international banking (foreign exchange, foreign currency accounts, cross-border wire transfers, Hong Kong branch services), and wealth management (mutual funds, annuities, insurance, investment advisory) through its 60+ U.S. branches and overseas offices. The bank, a subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp (Nasdaq: CATY), serves both retail consumers and small-to-medium-sized businesses with a focus on the AAPI community and cross-border customers.
Product overview
Cathay Bank offers a comprehensive banking platform organized across four main segments: Personal Banking, Business Banking, International Banking, and Wealth Management. Personal Banking includes checking accounts (Everyday Checking, Personal Checking, Cathay ValuePlus Checking, Student Advantage Checking, Cathay Teen Banking), savings products (Passbook Savings, Statement Savings, Student Savings, Smart Money Market, Optima Money Market, CDs, IRAs), lending (Home Mortgage Loans, HELOC, Personal Credit Cards including CUBE), and Digital Banking (Online Banking, Mobile Banking App, Bill Pay, Wire Transfer). Business Banking encompasses Advanced Business Checking, Commercial Analysis Checking, Bank@Work, Business Interest Checking, Business Savings, Business Money Market, Business CDs, Treasury Management Services with Autobooks and Business Registration Services, and comprehensive lending including SBA programs. International Banking covers foreign exchange services (FX Online, Foreign Currency Account, Foreign Currency Remittance, Foreign Exchange Risk Management), Hong Kong Branch, and global financing solutions. Wealth Management provides planning, insurance, annuities, mutual funds, investment IRAs, advisory services, and dedicated financial advisors through Cetera Investment Services partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personal Checking Accounts Personal checking account lineup (Everyday Checking, Personal Checking, Cathay ValuePlus Checking, Student Advantage Checking, Cathay Teen Banking) offering unlimited check writing, debit card access, and tailored features for individuals, students, and teens. Designed for retail customers seeking everyday banking with optional interest-bearing features.
- Personal Savings Accounts Personal savings offerings including Passbook Savings, Statement Savings, Student Savings, Smart Money Market, Optima Money Market, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), and IRA CDs. Provides FDIC-insured deposit options with tiered interest rates for retail customers building savings.
- Home Mortgage Loans Mortgage financing for first-time home buyers, home upgrades, and refinancing. Underwritten by experienced Mortgage Loan Originators (MLOs) and accessible via Cathay Bank branches.
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Revolving credit line secured by home equity, used for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction, home improvements, debt consolidation, or major expenses. Targeted at residential property owners.
- Personal Credit Cards Personal credit card products including the CUBE credit card with cashback rewards on everyday purchases. Targeted at consumer cardholders, with merchant partnerships (e.g., McDonald's).
- Online and Mobile Banking Secure online banking platform and mobile application (iPhone, iPad, Android) with Touch ID, multifactor authentication, bill pay, wire transfers, Zelle peer-to-peer payments, and SavvyMoney credit monitoring for retail customers.
- Business Checking Accounts Commercial checking account lineup (Advanced Business Checking, Commercial Analysis Checking, Bank@Work, Business Interest Checking) for businesses ranging from small businesses to mid-market companies, with options for higher transaction volumes and analysis services.
- Business Deposit Products
Quantifiable outcome
- Cathay General Bancorp ranked No.16 on S&P Global 2025 U.S. public banks list
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cathay Bank
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cathay Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature3 records
Cathay Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- McDonald'sminorMcDonald's partnered with Cathay Bank to provide customers paying with the CUBE credit card with up to 12% cashback on Little Tree Points as part of promotional marketing campaigns to drive customer engagement.
- Pacific BMWminorPlatinum sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
- CohnReznickminorJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
- KTC (Kendall Technology Corporation)minorJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
- Million Dollar BabyminorJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
- UCLA Anderson ForecastcoreStrategic thought leadership partnership where Cathay Bank hosts annual U.S.-China economic reports and economic outlook events with UCLA Anderson Forecast economists.
- Cetera Investment Services LLCcoreSecurities and insurance products offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC (doing insurance business in CA as CFG STC Insurance Agency LLC), member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC.
- DigiCertcoreProvides digital server certificates used for encrypting connections between customer devices and Cathay Bank's electronic banking systems.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cathay Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cathay Bank social profiles
Digital presenceCathay Bank compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance13 records
Cathay Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cathay Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cathay Bank subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cathay Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cathay Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cathay Bank
What does Cathay Bank do?
Cathay Bank is a regional commercial bank offering deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs), consumer lending (home mortgages, HELOCs, personal credit cards), business banking (checking, treasury management, SBA loans, commercial real estate lending), international banking (foreign exchange, foreign currency accounts, cross-border wire transfers, Hong Kong branch services), and wealth management (mutual funds, annuities, insurance, investment advisory) through its 60+ U.S. branches and overseas offices. The bank, a subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp (Nasdaq: CATY), serves both retail consumers and small-to-medium-sized businesses with a focus on the AAPI community and cross-border customers.
Is Cathay Bank a public or private company?
Cathay Bank is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Cathay Bank founded?
Cathay Bank was founded in 1962. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Cathay Bank based?
Cathay Bank is headquartered in El Monte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cathay Bank make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Net Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are banking Fees and Service Charges, wealth Management and Insurance Products and credit Card Revenue.
Does Cathay Bank have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cathay Bank.
What industry is Cathay Bank in?
Cathay Bank's product category is Commercial Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABABAA, General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking, with a secondary code of FSABAAAA, Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings). Its NAICS code is 522110 and its SIC code is 6022.