Wherever in the world you may be, you can rely on our teams of specialists to help you achieve your specific business objectives

The choice of a trade services provider is vital in a world where both speed and attention to detail are crucial and where you need a partner who can seamlessly combine local service excellence with global reach. At HSBC, we make it our business to know your business, intimately and thoroughly.

As one of the largest trade services organisations in the world, we have local trade experts available to support you wherever you do your business. We can help put you in control of your operations and assist you to streamline your trade processes with our advanced technology. Our aim is to ensure that your import and export transactions are managed effortlessly and effectively, providing your business with the best possible opportunities to grow.

We understand that by putting our customers' interests first, we too are rewarded and able to shine. It is this kind of win-win situation that has helped us to secure a run of best trade finance bank awards from Global Finance, The Asset, Cargonews Asia, Trade Finance, Asiamoney, Trade & Forfaiting Review and FinanceAsia, titles we are proud to have won in consecutive years.

At HSBC we are always on the look out for ways which assist customers to grow their business internationally. Global links was created with this in mind.

HSBC has played a key role in international trade since 1865, when Hongkong Bank, the founding member of the HSBC Group, was established to finance and facilitate the growing trade between China, Europe and the USA.

With our extensive experience in international trade, HSBC is ideally placed to support the long-term growth of your business. We combine local service excellence with global reach, supplemented by advanced technology. HSBC has an extensive network of over 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories.

Committed to fulfill your trading needs

Whatever your sourcing requirements, HSBC is perfectly positioned to fulfill your trading needs.

We offer a wide range of import services, delivered by our experienced trade team, who will ensure that your business is handled efficiently and without delay. What's more, with the support of our global network behind you, you can rest assured that we have HSBC representatives available to assist you, wherever in the world you do business.

Documentary Credits

When developing business relationships with overseas suppliers, there can be a number of key factors to consider. A documentary credit (DC) issued by HSBC provides comfort and security to both the buyer and supplier by helping to mitigate the inherent risks of international trade.

A DC is an undertaking by a bank, acting on behalf of the importer, to make payment for goods or services provided by the supplier within a prescribed time limit and against compliant documents. A DC provides comfort to the buyer that payment will only be made upon presentation of the required documents.

DCs issued by HSBC have a number of key benefits for both you and your suppliers as follows:

• Financial strength
  DCs issued by HSBC have the backing of one of the world's largest financial services organisations. This means that any DCs issued by us in your name will be universally acceptable, both by your vendors, and their banks.
• Global network
  Our global presence across Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa means that wherever you trade, an HSBC representative is available to assist with your transactions.

By routing your DCs through our overseas branches, we can help reduce your processing times and ensure that the DC is advised to your supplier without delay. This is particularly important if you need your goods in a hurry, or if your vendor needs some time to prepare the export documents.

• Expert assistance
  Our award-winning trade teams are available at any time to provide you advice on any aspect of DC issuance. We can also arrange training for your staff at your own offices.
• Vendor support
  Beneficiaries of HSBC DCs are entitled to the same high level of professional support and advice as any of our customers. Our overseas trade offices can explain complex DC terms to your suppliers and assist them in preparing export documents and identifying discrepancies. We are even prepared to consider providing export finance to your supplier after completion of some simple documentation.
• Special DC options
  With our wide range of specialist knowledge in documentary credits, we can advise on and deliver a range of specialised instruments: standby DCs, transferable DCs, back-to-back DCs, revolving DCs and red clause credits.

Local products and services may vary, please contact one of our offices for details.

Click here to view a list of our branches and offices.

Documentary Collections

Documentary collections offer a simple, cost-effective and secure means of trading internationally. If your buyer does not issue DCs, Collections offer the next safest alternative to open account trade.

During a collection, banks act as intermediaries, ensuring that documents are only released against payment or acceptance. Collections offer the seller comfort that they will not lose control of the goods without payment or the promise to pay. Meanwhile from your buyer's perspective, collections offer a simple and cheaper alternative to the DC and hence may enable you to negotiate better terms.

HSBC offers a choice of documentary collection methods, each offering you peace of mind while helping you to reduce costs:

• Documents against payment (D/P) - documents are released to importers upon payment.
• Documents against acceptance (D/A) - documents are released to importers against their promise to

Import Finance

Whether you use documentary credits, collections or open account trading for your imports, there may be times when you need funding to allow you to fulfill your trade commitments.

At HSBC we make it our business to understand your business. Your import finance facilities are carefully constructed around your trading cycle ensuring that finance will always be available to cover your business needs. Because your facilities will be structured around the actual business you do, you are able to enjoy lower interest rates and negotiate better terms with your suppliers.

With the backing of one of the world's largest financial services institutions you can rest assured that your facilities are structured with the long term objectives of your business in mind, ensuring we can continue to support you even during market downturns.

We provide three types of Import Trade Finance

Finance against Import - available when you're trading under an Import Documentary Credit or Import Bill for Collection.

HSBC has control of the goods through receipt of a full set of transport documents. Commercial documents are released to you, meaning that you can clear the goods immediately.

Clean Import Finance - Rather than being triggered by a Documentary Credit or Documentary Collections, finance is made available upon presentation of supplier's invoices and evidence of shipment. It provides import finance to importers or traders operating on open account terms, without the need to issue a Documentary Credit.

Pre-shipment Clean Import Finance - available when you're trading on open account or documentary collections, and suitable where you need to finance the advance payment portion of a contract.

Funds are advanced against a pro-forma invoice for special percentage of the value of the full order and for a maximum period of 60 days prior to shipment.