Hope Bancorp

What Hope Bancorp does

Hope Bancorp is a publicly traded bank holding company (NASDAQ: HOPE) headquartered in Los Angeles that operates through its wholly-owned subsidiary Bank of Hope, a regional bank focused on Korean-American and broader Asian-American business communities as well as middle-market commercial and industrial borrowers. The company originated as Wilshire Bank in 1980 and took its current form following a 2016 merger with BBCN Bank. Its core banking activities consist of commercial lending, deposit services, and traditional branch-based banking across California and — more recently — Hawaii (via the completed Territorial Bancorp acquisition in 2025).

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income from the company's $18.99 billion asset base, with a Q2 2026 net interest margin of 2.96% (up 27 basis points year-over-year) supplemented by non-interest fee income from deposit and banking services. The go-to-market is a sales-led, relationship-banking model distributed through a regional branch network. Distribution is differentiated by cultural and linguistic competency serving Asian-American entrepreneurs, plus cross-border capabilities for Asian multinationals — most notably Japanese corporates via a strategic partnership with SMBC formed in connection with the pending acquisition of SMBC MANUBANK's commercial banking unit (announced April 2026, expected H2 2026 close, $2.5B loans, $2.7B deposits, eight LA branches).

Name

Hope Bancorp

Legal name

Hope Bancorp

Website

https://hopebancorp.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hope Bancorp is a publicly traded regional bank holding company (NASDAQ: HOPE) operating through Bank of Hope, providing commercial lending and deposit services to Asian-American entrepreneurs, Asian multinational companies, and middle-market borrowers across California and Hawaii.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

SME/Industrial Development Banks (FSABAKAF)

Keywords

• Commercial banking services
• Consumer banking products
• Commercial lending services
• Deposit and savings
• Regional banking franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

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. Net Interest Income: Primary revenue stream from interest earned on loans (commercial and industrial lending) and securities. Net interest margin of 2.96% with 27 basis-point improvement year-over-year.
2. Non-interest Income: Fee income and other banking services including deposit-related fees and service charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Hope Bancorp operates as a bank holding company, providing commercial and consumer banking services through its primary subsidiary Bank of Hope. The company focuses on commercial and industrial lending, deposit products, and cross-border banking services tailored for Asian-American entrepreneurs and Asian multinational companies. It serves markets across California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Washington, and Texas through a physical branch network and digital banking platform.

Product overview

Hope Bancorp operates as a bank holding company with its core subsidiary Bank of Hope, a Korean-owned regional bank based in Los Angeles. The company offers commercial and industrial lending, deposit products, and traditional banking services. Hope Bancorp has pursued growth through acquisitions, including the completed Territorial Bancorp acquisition expanding its Hawaii presence and the pending acquisition of SMBC MANUBANK's commercial banking unit expected to close in H2 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bank of Hope Banking Services
• Commercial and Industrial Lending
• Deposit Products and Services
• Cross-Border Middle Market Banking

Quantifiable outcome

• Net interest margin expanded to 2.96%, a 27 basis-point improvement year-over-year
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SMBC MANUBANK (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation subsidiary)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Hope Bancorp's subsidiary Bank of Hope agreed to acquire the Commercial Banking Unit of SMBC MANUBANK in an all-cash transaction expected to close in H2 2026. The deal includes approximately $2.5 billion in loans, $2.7 billion in deposits, and eight branches in Los Angeles. The transaction will establish a strategic partnership with SMBC to serve Japanese clients operating in the United States, deepening cross-border middle market banking services for Asian-American entrepreneurs and Asian multinational companies.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bank of Hawaii: Ticker BOH, the largest Hawaii-based bank and a direct counterparty in the Hawaii market following Hope Bancorp's Territorial Bancorp acquisition. Comparable in Hawaii-specific franchise dynamics and deposit gathering.
• Central Pacific Financial: Ticker CPF, a Hawaii-based community bank with a similar SMB and CRE focus. Becomes a relevant in-market peer post-Territorial acquisition.

Direct peers

• East West Bancorp: Ticker EWBC, East West is the largest Asian-American focused bank in the US, sharing the Asian-American SMB and cross-border trade finance niche with Hope Bancorp and competing in overlapping California and Asian-community markets.
• Cathay General Bancorp: Ticker CATY, Cathay General is a Chinese-American focused bank headquartered in Los Angeles, directly comparable in Asian-American SMB and C&I banking, with a similar California-anchored regional footprint.
• Hanmi Financial Corporation: Ticker HAFC, Hanmi Financial is the other major Korean-American focused bank in the US, with a similar mid-cap regional footprint and C&I lending orientation. Directly comparable to Bank of Hope by customer base, geography, and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• CVB Financial: Ticker CVBF, a California-anchored community bank focused on C&I lending. Comparable by size, business model, and California exposure, though without Hope Bancorp's Asian-American niche.
• Western Alliance Bancorporation: Ticker WAL, a much larger Arizona-based regional bank with a strong West Coast presence and a tech-enabled commercial banking franchise. Competes with Hope Bancorp in middle-market C&I lending and is often cited as a head-to-head comparison for scale and margin.
• Pacific Premier Bancorp: Ticker PPBI, a California-based regional bank with a similar C&I and CRE focus. Comparable in size and geography, providing a useful benchmark for California regional bank performance.
• First Interstate BancSystem: Ticker FIBK, a mid-cap regional bank similar in size to Hope Bancorp with a comparable C&I and CRE lending model. Useful as a cross-region benchmark for mid-cap regional bank economics.
• Customers Bancorp: Ticker CUBI, a mid-cap commercial bank with a regional and specialty lending orientation. Comparable to Hope Bancorp by asset size, growth profile, and C&I lending focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hope-bancorp-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Hope Bancorp