East West Bank

What East West Bank does

East West Bank is a publicly traded U.S. commercial bank (NASDAQ: EWBC) founded in 1973 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, with corporate regional offices in San Francisco, Houston, and New York. The bank operates 110+ locations across the United States, Hong Kong, mainland China, and Singapore, serving as a financial bridge between the U.S. and Greater China markets. It is organized around five divisions — Personal Banking, Small-to-Mid-Size Businesses, Commercial Banking, Wealth Management, and International Banking — with additional industry vertical expertise in technology, healthcare, entertainment, clean tech/renewable energy, and fund finance.

The product suite spans consumer deposit products (multiple checking/savings tiers, CDs, mortgages, home equity), business banking (BusinessExpress for micro/SMB, businessBridge Premier for higher-volume enterprises, SBA loans, cash management, treasury), commercial lending (commercial loans, commercial real estate, structured finance), trade finance (tradeBridge, letters of credit, documentary collections, foreign exchange, international wires supporting 160+ currencies), wealth management (East West Wealth Management, East West Global Insurance Solutions via Covr Financial Technologies), and digital-only banking (Velo by East West Bank). Underlying technology is conventional core banking plus digital channels: iOS/Android mobile apps, online banking, remote deposit capture (depositBridge Plus), smart safe cash handling (cashBridge), merchant services (Commerce360), digital billing (DirectBiller), real-time payments via FedNow/RTP, and integrations with Zelle, Plaid, QuickBooks, UnionPay, and Alipay. The wholly-owned subsidiary East West Bank (China), Ltd. extends the franchise into mainland China with branches in Shanghai, Shantou, and Shenzhen.

The revenue model is a diversified mix of interest income from lending activities (commercial loans, commercial real estate, residential mortgages, home equity, SBA loans) and non-interest income from deposit service fees, wire transfers, foreign exchange, trade finance, wealth management fees, and merchant services. Go-to-market is relationship-led, with dedicated business bankers, industry-specific expertise teams, a 100+ branch U.S. network (including in-store locations at 99 Ranch Market), multilingual customer support (English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese), and bilingual digital properties (English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish). Pricing follows a subscription/transaction-fee model with promotional offers (e.g., 6-month waived maintenance fees on Standard Business Checking; up to $2,500 savings on Fast-Track SBA 7(a) loans), and the bank is FDIC-insured and Equal Housing Lender designated.

Name

East West Bank

Legal name

East West Bank

Website

https://eastwestbank.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

East West Bank is a publicly traded U.S. commercial bank (NASDAQ: EWBC) operating 110+ branches across the U.S. and Greater China, providing personal, business, commercial, wealth management, and cross-border trade banking services to consumers, SMBs, mid-market companies, and high-net-worth clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial and Retail Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Lending (Personal Loans, Auto, Credit Lines) (FSABAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Banking Cross-Border & International Wealth Services (FSABADAL)

Keywords

• Commercial banking
• International trade finance
• Small business lending
• Wealth management services
• Cross-border banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Central

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Income from lending activities including commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, residential mortgages, home equity loans, and SBA loans
2. Non-interest Income: Fee income from deposit account services, wire transfers, foreign exchange services, trade finance services, wealth management services, and merchant services
3. Wealth Management: Investment management, insurance planning, retirement planning, and estate planning services through East West Wealth Management and East West Global Insurance Solutions
4. International Banking Services: Foreign exchange services, international wire transfers, letters of credit, trade finance, and cross-border banking services between US and Greater China

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

East West Bank is a publicly traded full-service commercial bank offering personal checking and savings accounts, mortgages and home equity loans, business checking, SBA loans, commercial real estate financing, structured finance, wealth management, and international banking services. The bank differentiates through its cross-border US–Greater China franchise, dedicated industry expertise in technology, healthcare, entertainment, clean tech, and fund finance, and digital platforms such as Velo, BusinessExpress, businessBridge Premier, and tradeBridge. Revenue is generated primarily through interest income from lending and non-interest income from deposit, wire, FX, trade finance, and wealth management fees.

Product overview

East West Bank operates as a full-service commercial bank organized around five core divisions — Personal Banking, Business Banking (Small-to-Mid-Size Businesses), Commercial Banking, Wealth Management, and International Banking — with digital access provided through online and mobile banking platforms. Key digital banking platforms include Velo by East West Bank (digital-first sub-brand with dedicated mobile apps for U.S. and China markets), BusinessExpress (micro-to-small business online banking), and businessBridge® Premier (high-volume enterprise online banking with approval workflows). Trade and supply chain finance is served through tradeBridge®, while cash and merchant operations are supported by cashBridge® (smart safe), depositBridge® Plus (remote deposit), DirectBiller (digital billing/ERP integration), and Commerce360 (merchant payment platform). Wealth management is delivered through East West Wealth Management and East West Global Insurance Solutions (partner: Covr). The bank differentiates on international banking, offering foreign exchange, international wire transfers supporting 160+ currencies, China remittance services, and overseas branches across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Singapore, and Xiamen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Velo by East West Bank: Digital banking platform offering international banking services, particularly targeting Chinese-speaking customers globally.
• businessBridge Premier
• BusinessExpress
• tradeBridge
• cashBridge
• depositBridge Plus
• Reach Further

Products and services

• Personal Checking Accounts Tiered personal checking account products (Value, Premier, Premier Maximizer, Student Plus, Global Student, Senior, Community) for individual consumers, with monthly maintenance fees that vary based on balance requirements and account type.
• Personal Savings and CDs Personal savings products (Premier Savings, Senior Savings for age 62+, Student Plus Savings) and Certificates of Deposit (CDs) for individual savers seeking interest-bearing deposit accounts.
• Home Loans Residential mortgage loan programs, Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC), Home Equity Loans, and online mortgage applications with payment assistance programs for individual homeowners and homebuyers.
• Personal Cards (Secured Credit Card, StartUp Debit Card, UnionPay Prepaid Card, Gift Card) Secured Credit Card, StartUp Debit Card, UnionPay Prepaid Card (for international card payments via UnionPay), and Gift Cards for individual consumer and gifting use cases.
• Personal Online and Mobile Banking Personal online banking platform and mobile banking application for iOS and Android providing 24/7 account access, bill pay, transfers, Zelle, mobile check deposit, and multilingual support.
• Velo by East West Bank Digital-first sub-brand of East West Bank with dedicated mobile banking apps for U.S. and China markets, providing checking, savings, and international banking features tailored for Asian-American customers.
• Business Checking Accounts Business checking accounts including Standard Business Checking (with promotional 6-month waived maintenance fee), Business Signature Checking, Business Performance Checking, and Analyzed Business Checking for small and mid-size businesses.
• SBA Loans SBA 7(a) loans including the Fast-Track SBA 7(a) loan with promotional savings of up to $2,500, offered to small and mid-size businesses for working capital and growth financing.
• BusinessExpress Online and mobile banking platform for micro and small businesses providing account management, bill pay, ACH, wires, Zelle for business, QuickBooks integration, and remote deposit capture.
• businessBridge Premier Comprehensive business online banking platform for higher-volume enterprises featuring payment approvals, limits management, tax payments, ACH, wires, QuickBooks integration, positive pay, and delegated user permissions.
• tradeBridge International trade and supply chain finance platform combining trade services, trade finance products, and a local branch network for import/export financing, letters of credit, documentary collections, and cross-border trade settlements.
• Commercial Loans and Lines of Credit Commercial loans and revolving lines of credit for mid-market to large commercial clients, delivered by dedicated relationship managers with industry-specific expertise.
• Commercial Real Estate Financing Commercial real estate financing solutions for developers, investors, and owners, including construction, permanent, and bridge financing delivered through dedicated commercial real estate bankers.
• East West Wealth Management Wealth management service offering investment management and solutions, insurance planning, retirement planning (including 401(k) plans), education funding (529 plans), business planning, and trust and estate planning through dedicated financial consultants.
• East West Global Insurance Solutions Insurance solutions offering term life, loan protection, simplified whole life, and whole life insurance products, delivered through a technology partnership with Covr Financial Technologies for digital quotes and applications.
• International Banking Services (FX, Wires, Letters of Credit) Foreign exchange services supporting 160+ currencies, international wire transfers, letters of credit, trade finance, and cross-border payments between the U.S. and Greater China, delivered through overseas branches and representative offices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Community lending team financed over $1 billion with approximately 100 affordable housing projects covering over 15,000 units
• +2 more outcomes

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership with U.S. Export-Import Bank for providing comprehensive export financing to U.S. manufacturers. East West Bank was named EXIM's 2022 Lender of the Year for outstanding trade finance services. The bank leverages EXIM programs to support exporters with financing solutions.
• U.S.-China Business CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships supporting cross-border trade between US and China, facilitating international banking services and trade finance solutions.
• China Export-Import BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with China Export-Import Bank to provide comprehensive export financing solutions for U.S. and China-based manufacturers engaged in cross-border trade.
• Fair Tax PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide tax credit financing solutions for commercial-scale renewable energy projects, leveraging federal tax incentives for solar, energy storage, and clean tech projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cathay Bank: Cathay Bank is a fellow Asian-American-focused commercial bank with significant US-Greater China cross-border banking operations and a similar focus on serving the Chinese-American community. Both banks offer personal, business, and international banking services targeting the same diaspora customer base.
• Bank of the Orient: Bank of the Orient is a smaller Asian-American-focused commercial bank with cross-border US-Asia banking services. Both banks serve the Asian-American community and offer trade finance, FX, and remittance services between US and Asia.
• ICBC (USA): Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (USA) offers commercial banking services in the US with strong US-China cross-border capabilities. Direct competitor to East West Bank for Chinese-American business customers and US-China trade finance flows.
• CVB Financial / Citizens Business Bank: CVB Financial is a California-based commercial bank of comparable size serving business and middle-market customers. Both operate in California with similar commercial banking, SBA lending, and treasury management offerings targeting similar mid-market business segments.
• Preferred Bank: Preferred Bank is a Los Angeles-based commercial bank focused on the Chinese-American and Asian-American business community, with significant commercial lending, SBA loans, and trade finance offerings that directly overlap with East West Bank's core segments.
• First Commercial Bank (USA): First Commercial Bank is a Taiwanese-American bank offering US-Asia trade finance and cross-border services. Comparable to East West Bank's tradeBridge platform and US-Greater China focus on serving Asian businesses and consumers.
• Bank of China (USA): Bank of China USA is a Chinese state-owned bank's US subsidiary offering US-China trade finance, commercial lending, and cross-border services. Direct overlap with East West Bank's tradeBridge platform and Chinese-American customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• JPMorgan Chase (Asia Commercial Banking): JPMorgan Chase operates a global commercial banking franchise with significant US-China trade finance capabilities. While much larger and broader, JPM competes with East West Bank for large commercial and trade finance clients in the US-China corridor.
• PacWest Bancorp: PacWest Bancorp is a larger US bank holding company with commercial banking operations across multiple western states, offering comparable commercial lending, business banking, and treasury management products. Broader geographic scope than East West Bank but overlapping customer segment.
• Bank of America (Asia Commercial Banking): Bank of America's commercial banking division serves large and mid-market clients with international banking services including US-China trade finance. Comparable in cross-border capabilities but at significantly greater scale than East West Bank.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eastwestbank.us
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-west-bank
• Instagraminstagram.com/eastwestbank.us

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 East West Bank