Shannon Terrell
Siddhi Bagwe
Beth Buczynski
On Nov. 29, 2022, the Royal Bank of Canada announced its plans to buy HSBC Bank Canada in an agreement heralded as Canada’s biggest domestic banking deal on record. The Minister of Finance approved the sale on Dec. 21, 2023.
What does the acquisition mean for HSBC customers? Business as usual — for now.
What to expect between now and April 1, 2024
If you’re an HSBC customer, here’s what you need to know in the lead up to the acquistion’s completion:
January: You should have received details on how HSBC Bank products and services will transfer over to RBC.
February: You should have gotten an RBC client card number or physical debit card if you have an existing HSBC Canada bank account. You can use your HSBC bank card until the new RBC card is activated.
Note that you must sign up on the RBC online banking and mobile app with your new RBC client card number so you can access all RBC services.
February-March: You can expect to receive any RBC credit cards, if applicable. HSBC credit cards can be used until the migration is complete.
March: On March 28, 2024, the sale of HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries to RBC is expected to close. Transition activities will start once the closing conditions are met and the transaction is complete.
April: Migration of all HSBC Bank Canada products and services to RBC will be complete. HSBC branch offices will serve customers as RBC locations starting on April 1, 2024.
RBC to buy HSBC Canada for $13.5 billion
On Dec. 21, 2023, RBC’s plan to purchase HSBC Canada for $13.5 billion in cash was approved by the Minister of Finance. The deal will cement RBC’s position as one of the largest banks in Canada. RBC’s total revenue grew to approximately $56.1 billion in 2023, according to Statista.
The acquisition will end over 40 years of financial services for HSBC Canada. The Canadian arm of the multinational bank boasted 130 locations, 4,200 employees and $134 billion in assets as of November 2022. While it’s agreed to sell its Canadian subsidiary, HSBC will continue its international operations as HSBC Group.
Deal expected to close by the end of March 2024, following regulatory approval
Executing a complicated corporate acquisition takes time, and this deal is no exception. RBC’s acquisition of HSBC Canada is expected to wrap up in the first quarter of 2024.
On Sept. 1, 2023, the Competition Bureau of Canada approved the deal — a significant milestone for the acquisition. But a nod from the Competition Bureau wasn’t the only regulatory approval RBC needed to move ahead with the acquisition. Next, Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, reviewed the report generated by the Competition Bureau on the proposed bank acquisition to inform her decision.
On Dec. 21, 2023, the federal Minister approved the sale of HSBC Bank Canada to RBC, subjecting RBC to strict terms and conditions.
What HSBC customers should know about the acquisition
The sale of HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries to RBC is expected to close on March 28, 2024. The transition of all HSBC products and services to RBC will start once the closing conditions are met and the transaction is complete.
First, HSBC Canada will not operate as a separate brand once the acquisition is complete. “After closing, we expect to bring HSBC Canada clients and employees under the umbrella of RBC’s brand,” Jeff Lanthier, director of media relations for RBC, said in an email when the potential acquisition was first announced.
On April 1, 2024, migration of HSBC products and services to RBC is expected to be complete. HSBC branch offices will serve customers as RBC locations. HSBC Canada customers will gain access to RBC’s existing financial services framework, which includes over 1,100 branches across the country.
“For now, it is business as usual,” Lanthier said in a November 2022 email to NerdWallet. “There will be no impact to clients as we work toward closing.”
Linda Seymour, president and CEO of HSBC Canada, echoed Lanthier’s sentiments. “You do not need to take any action,” Seymour wrote to current HSBC customers in a public letter dated Sept. 1, 2023. “Continue to bank with HSBC as you usually do. All terms of your agreements stay the same and there is no change to how we will provide service.”
But ultimately, big changes are in store for HSBC customers, and Seymour has acknowledged this all along. “There will be a transition period of several months to establish how to integrate the operations and clients of HSBC Canada into RBC at completion of the sale,” Seymour wrote in a public letter dated Nov. 30, 2022.
A few things can become problematic in an acquisition of this magnitude. Common issues include closed branches, technical problems and long customer wait times.
If you bank with HSBC and have reservations about the acquisition, don’t be afraid to compare your banking alternatives in the interim. In the meantime, you can also explore general types of banking products, features and perks that come with RBC GICs and credit cards.
4 things to consider when switching banks
Before you jump ship from one bank to another, consider the following:
- Fees. Banking fees vary widely between institutions, so before you sign up, check the fine print for account fees, inactivity fees, the cost of transferring funds and more.
- Branch access. If you prefer to bank face-to-face, familiarize yourself with the bank’s branch network. Some banks are more widespread than others, and some, like online-only banks, don’t have any branch network to speak of.
- Online banking options. Online banking platforms are more ubiquitous than they once were, but there may be limitations to what you can do online. If digital access is important to you, scope out the bank’s online offerings before you open an account.
- Customer support. Some banks have round-the-clock customer support, and others don’t. Some have live chat support; others limit customer communications to email inquiries. Consider how you prefer to receive support from your bank and look for banks with customer service options that fit your needs.
Frequently asked questions about the RBC and HSBC deal
The RBC and HSBC Bank Canada deal is expected to close on March 28, 2024, once the closing conditions are met and the transaction is complete. By April 1st, the migration of HSBC products and services to RBC should be complete.
HSBC customers can access their bank account e-statements and e-documents via RBC online banking once the HSBC Bank Canada historical banking and credit card records are migrated to RBC. It is best to download any documents that you may need during the migration period.
HSBC investment account statements and documents, on the other hand, may not be available online after the transition. You are required to download anything you need or request a copy from your advisor as needed.
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