April newsletter
Our global investment conversation
Five thousand delegates joined us at our Global Investment Summit (GIS) to hear insights and discussions about a wide range of topics – from geopolitics to new technologies – and to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions and get business done.
In its third year, this unique HSBC event brought together policy makers, visionaries, business leaders and investors for hosted panels and breakout sessions.
Featuring more than 70 speakers, it focused on three main themes – new networks of influence, new networks of finance and trade, and new networks of innovation.
Our Group Chairman Brendan Nelson was the first speaker to address attendees at the three-day event in Hong Kong, setting the stage for the summit’s exploration of the forces creating rapid change and reshaping the international financial system.
He covered geopolitical and macroeconomic developments, technology and innovation, and more broadly, the risks and the opportunities that will underpin the new networks connecting the global economy.
Our Group CEO Georges Elhedery shared his thoughts on the reshaping of global economics and finance, and how HSBC plans to be at the forefront of this change.
Michael Roberts, CEO, HSBC Bank plc, and CEO of Corporate and Institutional Banking, said a decade of volatility had strengthened business and investor resilience, while Barry O’Byrne, our CEO of International Wealth and Premier Banking, talked about how investors can navigate economic uncertainty with discipline.
Technology and the role of AI, as well as digital assets and currencies, in the future of the global economy was also a key focus.
Our delegates also saw AI in the real world, witnessing the incredible capabilities of a bionic hand, before being treated to a live on-stage interaction with humanoid robot Oli X.
Our GIS ended with The Wealth Sessions, an exclusive programme for individual investors, entrepreneurs, business owners and senior executives.
They focused on a range of topics, including the global economy, geopolitics and AI – and what this means for the future of wealth and investing.
Discover more about GIS 2026 (opens in new window).
Get ready for our AGM
We’re holding our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, 8 May in London.
The digitally-enabled AGM – Brendan Nelson’s first as Group Chairman – is an opportunity for you to ask questions of the Board of Directors and vote on resolutions related to the management of the business.
The meeting starts at 10am UK time (5pm Hong Kong time / 5am New York time). Shareholders will be able to attend and vote electronically, and ask questions in real time, via the Lumi online platform.
The meeting will also be webcast live, in a view-only service, with a recording available for approximately two months afterwards. Visit hsbc.com/agm for more details and keep an eye on hsbc.com for updates once the meeting is finished.
The AGM, which shareholders can also attend in person, follows our informal shareholders’ meeting, which took place on 21 April at the Hopewell Hotel, in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
At the meeting, Brendan reflected on our strong performance in 2025, which enabled us to deliver “an excellent total shareholder return for the year”.
He said that our strategy, aimed at delivering “focused sustainable growth”, is working, and thanked shareholders for their continued trust and loyalty.
On stage alongside Brendan were Group CEO Georges Elhedery; Peter Wong, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation; David Liao, our Co-CEO, Asia and Middle East; and Maggie Ng, HSBC Hong Kong CEO.
Read more about what Brendan, Georges and Peter had to say.
HSBC’s stablecoin licence in Hong Kong
We’ve been granted a stablecoin issuer licence by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) – and we’re one of the first banks to receive this.
Under the new licence, we plan to launch a HKD-denominated stablecoin in the second half of 2026.
It will be integrated into PayMe and HSBC HK Mobile Banking App in Hong Kong.
Our stablecoin will be backed by high-quality, liquid assets held in segregated accounts and will meet the highest financial crime compliance standards.
In the initial phase, eligible retail customers and merchants in Hong Kong will be able to use our stablecoin to make peer-to-peer payments, peer-to-merchant payments and tokenised investments.
“We look forward to participating in this pioneering regulatory regime, which will allow HSBC-issued stablecoins to be used safely and securely by our customers for payments and transactions in Hong Kong,” said Maggie Ng, our CEO, Hong Kong.
“By integrating stablecoins into how our apps are used to pay and invest, HSBC is helping customers participate confidently in the future of digital finance and realise the benefits it can deliver.”
Our new flagship nature programme
We’re providing philanthropic support to Finance for Resilient Landscapes, our new flagship nature programme created to build resilience in commodity production across six landscapes in Brazil and Indonesia.
Our partners Proforest, Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy will identify anchor investments that protect forests and other natural assets where commodities like cattle, soy and palm oil are produced.
“Partnerships like this one (opens in new window) help us to accelerate the journey to net zero by scaling climate solutions – strengthening enabling-environments for systemic change, especially in emerging markets where the need and the opportunity is the greatest,” said Julian Wentzel, our Group Chief Sustainability Officer.
The aim is to help address deforestation globally and to strengthen long-term business resilience by supporting water security, reducing fire risk, and limiting floods.
“This collaborative approach will connect investors, businesses and communities across the supply chain to help achieve nature-positive outcomes at scale,” said Paulina Villalpando, our Associate Director, Nature.
We’ve contributed more than US$1 billion in philanthropic funding over the last decade, and with our new global philanthropy strategy, we will continue to deliver impact across financial literacy and nature programmes.