Bank of the Orient
Bank of the Orient is a privately held, FDIC-insured community bank founded in 1971 in San Francisco, serving Asian-American individuals, small and medium businesses, and Pacific Rim trade customers across the San Francisco Bay Area, Texas, and Xiamen, China, with over $936 million in assets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Bank of the Orient does
Bank of the Orient is a privately held, FDIC-insured community bank founded in 1971 in San Francisco's Financial District and historically the first Asian-American owned bank in California since World War II. As of 2024, the bank reports current assets exceeding $936 million and operates across the San Francisco Bay Area, Texas, and Xiamen, Fujian Province, China (where it maintains a full-service branch since 1986, originally opened as a representative office in 1983). The bank primarily serves Asian-American individuals and families, small and medium businesses, real estate investors, and Pacific Rim international trade customers, with relationship-banking service delivered through multilingual staff.
The bank's core product suite spans personal banking (checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit at up to 4.18% APY, residential mortgages up to $5 million, and home equity lines of credit up to $4 million), business banking (business checking, business money market accounts, term loans and lines of credit, SBA 7(a) and 504 lending, and treasury management via Business Online Banking with Positive Pay, ACH origination, and wire transfers), and specialized offerings including real estate lending, International Trade Finance (letters of credit, documentary collections, foreign exchange), and the Xiamen branch. Supporting infrastructure includes iOS/Android mobile apps, online banking with Zelle P2P payments, and deposit-sweep partnerships with the IntraFi Network for CDARS and ICS multi-million-dollar FDIC-insured products. The bank's technology stack is conventional banking technology anchored by SSL/TLS encryption, VeriSign and DigiCert authentication, and Trusteer Rapport anti-malware security.
Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on loans (residential mortgages, commercial real estate, SBA loans, term loans, lines of credit, and home equity lines of credit) and deposits (checking, savings, money market, CDs), supplemented by transaction and service fees on deposit accounts, fees on international trade finance products, and gains on SBA loan sales. Distribution is omnichannel: seven branches across Northern California (Chinatown, Oakland, Richmond, Sunset, Millbrae, Burlingame), Texas branches in Sugar Land plus the forthcoming Bellaire branch in Houston, the Xiamen China branch, and digital channels including online and mobile banking with Zelle P2P payments. Recent strategic activity includes the June 2026 Bellaire Branch opening, the February 2025 Millbrae Branch relocation, the December 2024 closure of the original Financial District headquarters branch, and ongoing deposit-gathering through above-market CD and money market rate promotions.
Bank of the Orient firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bank of the Orient
- Legal name
- Bank of the Orient
- Website
- https://bankorient.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Bank of the Orient is a privately held, FDIC-insured community bank founded in 1971 in San Francisco, serving Asian-American individuals, small and medium businesses, and Pacific Rim trade customers across the San Francisco Bay Area, Texas, and Xiamen, China, with over $936 million in assets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bank of the Orient industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Banking
- NAICS
- Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Commercial Banking (52211)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks) (FSABAAAE)
Keywords
Where Bank of the Orient is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Bank of the Orient business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Interest Income from Loans: Traditional banking revenue from interest earned on residential mortgages, commercial real estate loans, SBA loans, term loans, lines of credit, and home equity lines of credit. Loan amounts available up to $5,000,000 for residential and $4,000,000 for home equity.
- Deposit Account Fees and Services: Fees from checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and CD accounts. Includes monthly service fees, transaction fees, and ATM usage fees.
- CDARS Deposit Services: Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service allowing customers to access multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance through CD placements at network banks.
- ICS Deposit Services: IntraFi Cash Service providing access to multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance through a single bank relationship for business and consumer deposits.
- Certificate of Deposit Interest: Time deposits with competitive APY rates ranging from 3.75% to 4.18% depending on term length and deposit amount. 6-month and 9-month terms available.
- Zelle P2P Payments: Person-to-person payment services through Zelle integration, free to Bank of the Orient customers through mobile app.
- International Trade Finance: Services including import/export letters of credit, standby letters of credit, pre-export and post-negotiation financing, documentary collections, and international wire transfers.
- Business Banking Services: Commercial checking, money market accounts, term loans, lines of credit, SBA lending solutions, and debit card services for business customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | 6-Month CD: 3.90% APY ($10K-$49,999) / 4.18% APY ($50,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | 9-Month CD: 3.75% APY ($10K-$49,999) / 4.08% APY ($50,000+) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Money Market Special: 3.50% APY on $100,000+ new money deposits |
| Other | Monthly | Residential Mortgage: Up to $5,000,000, up to 65% LTV for purchases, 60% LTV for refinances |
| Other | Monthly | Home Equity Line of Credit: Up to $4,000,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Bank of the Orient product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bank of the Orient is a community bank offering personal and business deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs), consumer and commercial lending (residential mortgages, HELOCs, term loans, lines of credit, SBA loans, commercial real estate loans), international trade finance services (letters of credit, documentary collections, foreign exchange), and digital banking through online and mobile channels. The bank serves Asian-American communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and extends services through branches in Texas and Xiamen, China, with current assets exceeding $936 million.
Product overview
Bank of the Orient is a community bank founded in 1971 serving the Asian-American community, with current assets over $936 million. The company operates as a single unified banking platform offering both personal and business banking products. The personal banking suite includes Checking Accounts, Savings and Personal Money Market Accounts, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), Consumer Mortgage Lending (including Home Equity Lines of Credit), and Zelle for person-to-person payments. The business banking suite includes Business Checking, Business Money Market, Term Loans and Lines of Credit, SBA Lending Solutions, and Business Online/Mobile Banking. Additional services include IntraFi ICS and CDARS for multi-million-dollar FDIC-insured deposit solutions, International Trade Finance services, and a full-service Xiamen, China branch. A new Bellaire Branch in Houston, TX is scheduled to open June 27, 2026. The bank also offers Real Estate Solutions for commercial and multi-family lending.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personal Checking Accounts Personal checking account offering full-service check writing, teller access, and unlimited phone and ATM transactions. Monthly service fee may be waived with minimum balance. For individual consumers.
- Personal Savings and Money Market Accounts Personal savings account and money market account with competitive interest rates. Money Market Special offers variable 3.50% APY on new money deposits of $100,000 or more. For individual consumers.
- Certificates of Deposit (CDs) Time deposits available in various term lengths with competitive rates. Current specials include 6-month CD (4.18% APY for $50,000+, 3.90% for $10,000-$49,999) and 9-month CD (4.08% APY for $50,000+, 3.75% for $10,000-$49,999). Early withdrawal penalties apply. For individual consumers.
- Consumer Mortgage Lending Residential mortgage program offering loans up to $5,000,000 with up to 65% LTV for purchases and 60% LTV for refinances. Adjustable rate mortgage program available. Also includes home equity lines of credit up to $4,000,000. For individual consumers and homeowners.
- Business Checking Accounts Full-service business checking with unlimited check writing, teller access, phone inquiries, and ATM usage. Monthly service fee waived with minimum balance. For small and medium businesses.
- Business Money Market Account Business money market account combining checking and savings features with a three-tiered rate structure. Interest compounded daily and paid monthly. Limited to 6 withdrawals/transfers per month. For small and medium businesses.
- Term Loans and Lines of Credit Secured and unsecured term loans and revolving lines of credit for business expansion, asset acquisition, leasehold improvement, and commercial real estate. Includes office, retail, warehouse, and mixed-use property financing. For small and medium businesses.
- SBA Lending Solutions Small Business Administration loan programs including 7(a) loans for business establishment, acquisition, operation, or expansion; and 504 loans for fixed asset acquisition with long-term fixed rates. SBA-guaranteed commercial loans. For small businesses.
- IntraFi ICS (IntraFi Cash Service) Cash management service enabling access to multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance coverage through the IntraFi network. Deposits are placed across multiple FDIC-insured banks via a single relationship. For business and consumer deposit customers seeking excess FDIC coverage.
- CDARS (Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service) CD investment service providing multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance coverage by placing deposits across IntraFi network banks. Offers one rate, one statement, and one relationship for CD investments. For consumer and business CD investors.
- Zelle Person-to-Person Payments Person-to-person payment feature integrated into the Bank of the Orient Mobile App and online banking. Allows sending and receiving money using email address or U.S. mobile number. Free to Bank of the Orient customers. For individual consumers.
- Real Estate Lending Solutions Commercial and industrial loans and multi-family loans for real estate financing. The bank offers expertise in local real estate markets with competitively priced loan options for various property types. For real estate investors.
- International Trade Finance International banking services including import/export letters of credit, transferable and standby letters of credit, pre-export and post-negotiation financing, documentary collections, clean collections, assignment of proceeds, bank's acceptances, international/domestic funds transfers, and U.S. dollar and foreign currency drafts. Correspondent banks worldwide. For importers, exporters, and Pacific Rim trade businesses.
- Xiamen China Branch Services Full-service branch in Xiamen, China established in 1986. Offers deposits, inward and outward remittance, foreign exchange settlement, and inward and outward collection services. For international customers engaged in China trade.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $936 million in assets under management
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bank of the Orient
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bank of the Orient technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
Bank of the Orient partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Trusteer (IBM Security)corePartnership with Trusteer, a leading provider of secure web access services, to offer Trusteer Rapport - a downloadable application that provides an additional layer of protection against financial malware attacks and fraudulent websites. Available in separate versions for personal and business banking users.
- VeriSigncoreDigital identification certificates from VeriSign used to authenticate the bank's server and establish secure sessions with online banking users during login.
- DigiCertcoreServer certified as a 256-bit secure server by DigiCert, enabling Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol for encrypted data transmission between users and the bank's servers.
- Early Warning Services (Zelle)corePartnership with Zelle network operated by Early Warning Services to provide person-to-person payment services integrated into the bank's mobile and online banking platforms, enabling customers to send and receive money with over 100 million enrolled users.
- IntraFi Network (CDARS)coreMember of IntraFi network providing CDARS (Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service) that allows deposits to be placed across multiple FDIC-insured banks, enabling access to multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance through a single bank relationship.
- IntraFi Network (ICS)coreMember of IntraFi network providing ICS (IntraFi Cash Service) that enables business customers to access multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance on deposits through a single bank relationship, with funds placed at multiple FDIC-insured institutions.
- American Bankers Association (ABA)minorParticipating in the ABA's #BanksNeverAskThat campaign during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month to educate customers about phishing and fraud prevention.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bank of the Orient competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cathay Bank: Cathay Bank is a California-chartered commercial bank founded in 1962 to serve the Chinese-American community. It offers very similar products (deposits, SBA loans, mortgages, CRE, international trade finance) and is the closest direct competitor in Asian-American community banking.
- East West Bank: East West Bank is the largest Asian-American focused bank in the U.S., offering personal and business banking, CRE lending, and a deep Asia corridor trade finance franchise. It targets the same demographic and geography but at materially greater scale.
- Preferred Bank: Preferred Bank is a Los Angeles-based commercial bank serving the Asian-American community with similar deposit, SBA, CRE and trade-finance products. Comparable community-bank scale and customer profile to Bank of the Orient.
- United Overseas Bank (UOB) — U.S. operations: UOB, a Singapore-headquartered bank with a strong Asian-American customer franchise in California, offers deposits, lending, and trade finance. Comparable target customer (Asian-American commercial clients) and overlap in the Bay Area and beyond.
- First Commercial Bank: Asian-American focused community bank with personal and business deposit and loan products serving California markets. Directly comparable Asian-American community-banking focus and similar product set.
Emerging players
- Metro United Bank: A smaller California-based Asian-American community bank providing deposit products, SBA lending and CRE financing. Comparable niche focus and product mix but smaller scale than Bank of the Orient.
- Hanmi Bank: Korean-American focused community bank headquartered in Los Angeles with branches across California, Texas, and other states. Adjacent demographic overlap (Asian-American banking) with comparable community-bank product set and Texas expansion.
Broad incumbents
- Banner Bank: Pacific Northwest community bank offering personal and business banking, SBA lending, CRE and mortgage products. Comparable community-bank business model and product set, though geographic focus is Pacific Northwest rather than California.
- Mechanics Bank: Bay Area-headquartered community bank with personal, business, CRE and SBA lending capabilities. Comparable community-bank positioning and geography but without the Asian-American niche focus.
- JPMorgan Chase (Asian-American segment initiatives): Large incumbent bank with dedicated Asian-American multilingual branches and a full stack of deposit, lending and trade-finance products. Competes for the same customer base with substantially greater scale and digital capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bank of the Orient compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Bank of the Orient financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bank of the Orient leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Bank of the Orient funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bank of the Orient M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bank of the Orient
What does Bank of the Orient do?
Bank of the Orient is a community bank offering personal and business deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs), consumer and commercial lending (residential mortgages, HELOCs, term loans, lines of credit, SBA loans, commercial real estate loans), international trade finance services (letters of credit, documentary collections, foreign exchange), and digital banking through online and mobile channels. The bank serves Asian-American communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and extends services through branches in Texas and Xiamen, China, with current assets exceeding $936 million.
Is Bank of the Orient a public or private company?
Bank of the Orient is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bank of the Orient founded?
Bank of the Orient was founded in 1971. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Bank of the Orient based?
Bank of the Orient is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bank of the Orient make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Interest Income from Loans are the primary driver. The others are deposit Account Fees and Services, CDARS Deposit Services, ICS Deposit Services, certificate of Deposit Interest, zelle P2P Payments, international Trade Finance and business Banking Services.
Who are Bank of the Orient's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cathay Bank, East West Bank, Preferred Bank, United Overseas Bank (UOB) — U.S. operations and First Commercial Bank. Emerging players are Metro United Bank and Hanmi Bank. Broad incumbents are Banner Bank, Mechanics Bank and JPMorgan Chase (Asian-American segment initiatives).
Does Bank of the Orient have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bank of the Orient.
What industry is Bank of the Orient in?
Bank of the Orient's product category is Community Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAAAA, Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings), with a secondary code of FSABAAAE, Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks). Its NAICS code is 5221 and its SIC code is 6022.