Cathay Bank

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.

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

Product category

Commercial Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022), National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSABABAA

General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Commercial Banking (SME & Middle Market)

SECONDARYFSABAAAA

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Retail Banking

SECONDARYFSABAAAI

Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Retail Banking

SECONDARYFSABACAH

Real Estate (Commercial Property, REITs)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Corporate Banking (Large Corporates)

SECONDARYFSABAAAL

Financial Inclusion & Basic Banking (Unbanked/Underbanked, Low-Fee Accounts)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Retail Banking

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Commercial lending
• International banking
• Wealth management
• Digital banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Credit Card Revenue: Revenue from CUBE credit card interchange fees and partnerships including cashback programs with merchants like McDonald's.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• McDonald'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 April 2026McDonald'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 BMWminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
• CohnReznickminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
• KTC (Kendall Technology Corporation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
• Million Dollar BabyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJade sponsor of Cathay Bank's 49th Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
• UCLA Anderson ForecastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic 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 LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecurities 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.
• DigiCertcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides 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

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuJkDHdnkpfKlODcosq2dwA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cathaybank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cathay-bank
• Instagraminstagram.com/cathaybank.us

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cathay Bank