Citi finances China’s biggest and most promising companies and institutions ─ locally and globally.
Citi first opened in China in 1902 and became one of the first global banks incorporate locally in 2007. Today, Citi serves 70% of Fortune 500 companies in the market, as well as over 300 leading local enterprises and many more ‘emerging’ new economy companies.
The International Banking Corporation(IBC) opened a branch in Shanghai. The bank was known as the Hua Qi or "Flower Flag" Bank locally because the stars on the American flag that flew atop the branch looked like representations of flowers to the local community.
1920
The bank was one of the major foreign banks in China.
1983
Established an office in the Shenzhen special economic zone of China.
1991
Became the only U.S. bank with a branch in Shanghai.
1993
Citi was the first International bank to move its China headquarters to the mainland from Hong Kong.
2003
Received approval from People's Bank of China to provide custodial services for Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors(QFII) in China.
2005
Citigroup Tower in Shanghai became the headquarters for China franchise and opened a China Consumer Flagship Branch in the tower.
2006
Citi launched its first annual Global Community Day. Over 30,000 Citi China volunteers have participated in over 300 volunteering activities, contributing about 100,000 hours to the communities we live and work in, during the past 16 years.
2007
Granted approval by the China Banking Regulatory Commission to commence operations as a locally incorporated bank in April 2007, one of the first foreign banks to do so.
2009
Received regulatory approval to act as an interbank Bond Market Maker.
2013
Became one of the first two global banks approved to establish a presence in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone in China.
2017
Selected as an official Bond Connect Trading Dealer, received Type A Bond Settlement Agent license from the People's Bank of China and license from the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors to underwrite corporate bonds in China's interbank bond market.
2018
Awarded Futures Margin Depository Bank license by China Financial Futures Exchange, enabled Citi to provide futures margin deposit service to our QFII and RQFFII clients with a complete market access solution for China.
2019
Became the sole foreign bank in Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area to obtain approvals from State Administration of Foreign Exchange to carry on the Trade Facilitation Pilot Scheme.
2020
Became the first American bank to secure a domestic fund custody license from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and was first bank among the top 5 global custodians to do so.
2021
Applied to set up a securities company in mainland China, as it will begin a new chapter focused on its institutional business.
Recent Awards and Recognition
Asiamoney
2019-2021 Best International Corporate and Investment Bank in China
The Asset
2015-2020 Best Bank in China - Global
2015-2017 Best Corporate and Institutional Advisor in China – Global
FinanceAsia
2019 Best International Bank - China Awards
FinanceAsia - China Awards
2019 Best Equity and Debt Deals Buyside Financial Advisor on ‘Deal of the Year’
The China Charity Festival
2020 Winner of the CSR Best Practice Award
The Fourth Social Responsibility Conference
2021 Winner of Outstanding Responsible Company and Innovative Charity Award