How to Open a Corporate Bank Account in China as a Foreigner
Your company has to exist first, then come the accounts. Here's the two core accounts, what the bank checks, the one step that may need you in person — and how HCSG gets it opened without a wasted trip.
Corporate bank account in China at a glance
The two China business bank accounts most foreign companies open
Different jobs, opened together as part of onboarding.
Day-to-day in China
For paying staff and suppliers, invoicing clients, and running the business in RMB.
Money from abroad
For receiving your capital and foreign-currency funds moving in from overseas.
Bank due diligence
The bank checks the company, its owners and its activity before the accounts go live.
What it takes to open a corporate bank account in China
A clear sequence — HCSG prepares it so the bank doesn't send you back.
Have your company registered
The business licence and company seals come first — the bank account follows.
Prepare the bank pack
Company documents, owner identification, and proof of activity, in the form the bank expects.
Bank due diligence
The bank reviews the company and its owners; a director may need to attend, depending on the bank.
Accounts go live
The RMB and foreign-currency accounts are activated and ready to use.
The 'do I have to fly over?' question
It depends on the bank. Some require a director to attend in person to open the accounts; others can onboard remotely or with a representative. The difference is worth real money in flights and time — so the bank you choose matters as much as the paperwork. We match you to a bank that fits how you want to operate and prepare you for its specific requirements.
The accounts open when the preparation is right
Most bank delays aren't mysterious — they're a missing document, a business scope that doesn't match, or the wrong bank for the company. HCSG prepares the whole application and points you to a suitable bank, so onboarding is a formality rather than a series of rejections.
How HCSG handles this for you
We make corporate banking the smooth last step of your setup, not the wall at the end.
Match you to a bank
We point you to a bank that suits your business and how you want to operate.
Prepare the application
We assemble the company and owner documents in the form the bank expects.
Minimise travel
Where possible we route you to remote-friendly onboarding, so a trip is the exception.
Set up both accounts
RMB operating and foreign-currency capital accounts, ready for business.
The outcome: live corporate accounts — opened with the right bank and the right paperwork, not a wasted trip.
Questions founders ask us
Specific, net-new answers — not a repeat of the guide above.
Can I open the bank account before my company is registered?+
Do I have to fly to China to open the account?+
Which banks can a foreign-owned company use?+
Why do I need two accounts?+
What makes a bank application get rejected?+
How long does it take to open the accounts?+
Do the owners need to be present or disclosed?+
Can HCSG handle the banking if I'm setting up remotely?+
Ready to open your corporate bank account in China?
Tell us about your business and we'll match you to a suitable bank and prepare the application — without a wasted trip.
