Himalayan Bank

What Himalayan Bank does

Himalayan Bank Limited (HBL) is a publicly listed Nepalese commercial bank founded in 1993 and headquartered in Kamaladi, Kathmandu. It operates 64+ branches across Nepal, a Representative Office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (since February 2015), 92+ ATMs, and 3000+ POS terminals, claiming the largest market share in Nepal's acquiring card business. The bank serves retail consumers, SMEs, and corporate clients with a full suite of deposit products (multiple savings variants, fixed deposits, recurring deposits, specialty accounts), loan products (home, auto, education, personal, SME, corporate, trade finance, working capital), and card services across six international networks — Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay, and Discover.

The bank's technology stack centers on HBL HIMAL@NET internet banking, the HI-MB mobile application (iOS/Android), HimalRemit for international money transfers, SMS and Viber alert services, and integrations with national payment rails ConnectIPS and NCHL Corporate Pay. HBL pioneered the first ATM in Nepal and Visa card issuance in 1997, building a 30+ year heritage brand. It maintains correspondent banking relationships with Standard Chartered, Bank of India, ICICI, and HDFC for multi-currency settlements and has received Asian Development Bank Trade Finance Program Leading Partner Bank awards in 2016 and 2019.

HBL's revenue model combines interest income (regulated by Nepal Rastra Bank, with an interest rate spread of 2.74% as of June 2026) from its lending book, fee-based income from account services and trade finance, foreign exchange income from remittance and correspondent banking, and commission income from card acquiring and merchant POS services. The bank holds Rs. 9.372 billion in paid-up capital (post-27th AGM bonus issuance), is listed on the Nepal Stock Exchange under ticker HBL, and is led by CEO Ashoke SJB Rana with Chairman Prachanda Bahadur Shrestha. Regulatory oversight includes Basel III quarterly disclosures, SEBON corporate governance reporting, and AML/CFT compliance under Nepal Rastra Bank.

Name

Himalayan Bank

Legal name

Himalayan Bank Limited

Website

https://himalayanbank.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Himalayan Bank is a publicly listed Nepalese commercial bank offering deposits, multi-currency lending, trade finance, and cards across six international networks to retail, SME, and corporate clients through 64+ branches, 92+ ATMs, and 3000+ POS terminals nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Commercial Banking (52211), Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks) (FSABAAAE), Remittances & Retail FX (Consumer Cross-Border) (FSABAAAK), Remittance & Cross-Border Payment Rails (SWIFT, Local Clearing, RTP Connectivity) (FSAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Commercial banking services
• Retail deposit accounts
• Consumer lending products
• Trade finance facilities
• Remittance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Primary revenue from interest earned on loans including home loans, auto loans, consumer loans, SME loans, corporate loans, and other credit facilities. Interest is calculated on daily balance basis for savings accounts and credited quarterly.
2. Fee-based Income: Fees from various banking services including account maintenance, transaction fees, card services, trade finance facilities (letter of credit, bank guarantees), and remittance services.
3. Foreign Exchange Income: Revenue from foreign exchange transactions, currency exchange services, and international remittance processing through correspondent banking network.
4. Commission Income: Commission from card transactions, merchant services, POS operations, and insurance premium collection services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Himalayan Bank Limited is a commercial bank providing personal and corporate deposit accounts (savings, fixed deposits, current accounts), a full range of consumer and corporate loan products (home, auto, education, SME, corporate, trade finance, working capital), debit/credit/prepaid card services across multiple international brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay, Discover), and digital banking channels including HBL HIMAL@NET internet banking, HI-MB mobile banking, and HimalRemit international remittance. The bank distributes these services through 64+ branches, 92+ ATMs, 3,000+ POS terminals, and a correspondent banking network spanning ten countries.

Product overview

Himalayan Bank offers a comprehensive banking platform with both traditional banking products and digital services. The core offering consists of personal and business deposit accounts, loan products spanning consumer lending to corporate financing, and card services including debit, credit, and prepaid cards. The digital banking portfolio includes HBL Internet Banking (HIMAL@NET), Hi-MB mobile banking application, HimalRemit international transfer service, SMS/Viber alert systems, and merchant/E-commerce payment services. The bank operates an extensive ATM and branch network throughout Nepal, with digital services enabling fund transfers, bill payments, and ConnectIPS integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HimalRemit: Premium online customer focused and technology oriented Money Transfer product for international remittances

Products and services

• Personal Savings Accounts Multiple savings account variants for individual retail customers with tiered features and minimum balance requirements for everyday banking, savings accumulation, and family financial management.
• Business Deposit Accounts Business banking deposit accounts designed for entities (including non-profits) needing current, call, payroll, and fixed deposit products for working capital, payroll, and corporate treasury operations.
• Fixed Deposit Accounts Term deposit products with various maturity periods offered to individuals and businesses for capital preservation and interest returns.
• Consumer/Personal Loan Personal loan products for individual customers to finance personal expenses, offering EMI-based repayment and accessible disbursement.
• Home Loan Home loan financing for purchase, construction, or renovation of residential property for individual retail customers.
• Auto Loan (Private and Commercial Vehicle) Vehicle financing covering both private passenger vehicles for retail customers and commercial vehicles for business use.
• Education Loan Financing product for higher education expenses for students and their families, repayable over extended tenors.
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Loan SME financing product supporting small and medium enterprises with credit facilities for working capital and business growth.
• Corporate Loans (Funded and Non-Funded) Comprehensive corporate loan facilities for large businesses including project/consortium financing, working capital, overdraft, demand loans, revolving/non-revolving cash credit, import and export credit, term loans, and bank guarantees.
• Trade Finance Facilities Non-funded trade facilities including Letters of Credit, Bank Guarantees, pre-export financing, bills purchase, and documentary bills discounting for import/export transactions and international trade settlement.
• Deprived Sector and Subsidized Loans Priority sector and subsidized lending products for deprived sectors and targeted beneficiary groups, offered per Nepal Rastra Bank directed lending requirements.
• Secured Loans Against Collateral Collateral-backed loans including loan against fixed deposit receipts, government and bank bonds, first class bank guarantees, shares, and mortgage-backed personal loans.
• HBL Debit Cards Debit card products in Visa, MasterCard, SCT, and UnionPay brands for domestic and international purchase transactions and ATM cash withdrawals by account holders.
• HBL Credit Cards Credit cards across Visa, MasterCard, and American Express brands in domestic and international variants for retail and corporate cardholders, with cash back promotions of up to 10% online and 5% at POS.
• HBL Prepaid Cards Prepaid card options in Visa Domestic/International and UnionPay International variants for customers without traditional bank accounts, tourist travelers, and gift card use cases.
• EMI Facility Equated Monthly Installment facility enabling credit card holders to convert purchases or outstanding balances into structured monthly installment repayment plans.
• Point of Sale (POS) Merchant Services Merchant POS terminals with multi-card brand acceptance (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay, Discover, Diners Club) for retail and business merchants across Nepal.
• HBL Internet Banking (HIMAL@NET) Web-based internet banking platform providing account enquiry, fund transfer, utility bill payment, and self-registration features with doubled security protection.
• Hi-MB Mobile Banking Application Native mobile banking app on iOS and Android providing account enquiry, transaction notifications, fund transfers, utility bill payments, and cheque management features for retail customers.
• HimalRemit International Money Transfer Online international money transfer product for receiving remittances from abroad into Nepalese bank accounts through the bank's correspondent banking network.
• SMS and Viber Alert Services Real-time transaction alert services delivered via SMS and Viber messaging for debit/credit transactions, cash deposits, cheque withdrawals, and remittance credits.
• Safe Deposit Locker Service Secure safe deposit locker facilities offered at bank branches for retail customers to store valuables, documents, and jewellery.
• E-Commerce Payment Services Online payment processing services enabling e-commerce merchants to accept card-based payments from HBL cardholders and other network-affiliated cards.

Quantifiable outcome

• First ATM introduction in Nepal banking history
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.

• Discover Global NetworkcoreTechnology or Integration · 22 November 2022HBL started accepting Discover, Diners Club International and network alliance cards under Discover Global Network. Enables merchants to access over $500 billion annually in global spend opportunity and 280 million+ global cardholders. All POS terminals at hotels, restaurants, retail stores at tourist attractions (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini) now accept these cards.
• China UnionPaycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Himalayan Bank issues and acquires China UnionPay cards. Currently issuing UnionPay cards in USD currency with plans to issue in CNY currency to facilitate Nepalese tourists and businessmen visiting China. Growing number of Chinese tourists has increased UnionPay card usage in Nepal.
• American ExpresscoreTechnology or IntegrationHimalayan Bank is an authorized issuer of American Express cards in Nepal, offering Amex Credit Card services to customers.
• VisacoreTechnology or IntegrationHBL has been a pioneer in Visa card issuance since 1997 AD. Offers Visa Debit, Visa Credit, and Visa Prepaid cards with cash back promotions of up to 10% on online shopping and 5% at POS terminals.
• MasterCardcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBL offers MasterCard debit and credit cards for domestic and international transactions.
• QS Remit (South Korea)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgreement between HimalRemit and QS Remit for international money transfer services from South Korea to Nepal.
• People's Bank of China (Tibet Autonomous Region)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelegation from People's Bank of China met with HBL CEO to discuss growing business between Nepal and China and future prospects in card transactions.
• Standard Chartered BankstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCorrespondent banking relationship in multiple countries: Germany (Frankfurt), India, Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, UK (London), USA, Bangladesh, Nepal. For EUR, INR, JPY, SGD, AUD, GBP, USD currencies.
• Bank of IndiastrategicTechnology or IntegrationCorrespondent banking relationship for INR transactions (Mumbai). Nostro account for Indian Rupee settlements.
• ICICI Bank LimitedstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCorrespondent banking relationship for INR transactions (Mumbai, India). Supports RTGS transfers.
• HDFC Bank LimitedstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCorrespondent banking relationship for INR transactions (Mumbai, India). Supports RTGS transfers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Standard Chartered Bank Nepal: A subsidiary of the international Standard Chartered Group operating in Nepal, offering commercial and institutional banking services with global correspondent capabilities—a broader incumbent competitor to HBL with international backing rather than domestic scale.

Direct peers

• Nepal SBI Bank Limited: A Nepalese commercial bank established as a joint venture with India's State Bank of India, offering deposits, loans, remittances, and digital banking with international correspondent reach—comparable to HBL's correspondent banking-led trade finance model.
• Nabil Bank Limited: Nabil Bank is one of Nepal's largest and most established commercial banks, offering a similar full suite of retail deposits, corporate loans, trade finance, and digital banking services to Nepalese retail and corporate customers—making it the closest direct peer to HBL in scale and product mix.
• Citizens Bank International Limited: A Nepalese commercial bank with a similar nationwide branch footprint, deposit products, loan portfolio (retail, SME, corporate), and digital channels—making it a direct tier-comparable competitor to HBL in Nepal's commercial banking market.
• NIC Asia Bank Limited: A mid-tier Nepalese commercial bank serving retail, SME, and corporate customers with savings, loans, digital banking, and trade finance—directly competitive with HBL in branch-based and digital retail banking within Nepal.
• Prime Commercial Bank Limited: A Nepalese commercial bank offering deposits, consumer and corporate loans, digital banking channels, and card services comparable to HBL—competing for similar retail and SME customer segments across Nepal's branch network.
• NMB Bank Nepal: A full-service Nepalese commercial bank offering comparable retail, SME, and corporate banking services including trade finance and digital channels—competing directly with HBL for the same customer pool in Nepal.
• Everest Bank Limited: A Nepalese commercial bank with comparable deposit, loan, remittance, trade finance, and digital banking services—competing with HBL for retail and corporate customers across a similar tier and geographic footprint in Nepal.
• Nepal Investment Mega Bank Limited: Formed from the merger of Nepal Investment Bank and Mega Bank, NIMB is a tier-1 Nepalese commercial bank with comparable multi-channel banking, branch network, trade finance, and remittance offerings—directly competing with HBL across retail and corporate segments in Nepal.
• Machhapuchchhre Bank Limited: A Nepalese commercial bank with similar nationwide branch network, retail deposit and loan products, and digital services—directly competing with HBL in the mid-tier commercial banking segment in Nepal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/himalayanbanknp
• Facebookfacebook.com/himalayanbankltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/himalayan-bank-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Himalayan Bank