HSBC Holdings is a public limited company incorporated in England and Wales, headquartered in London. It is the world’s largest company and the world’s largest banking group, as calculated based on different metrics by the annual Forbes list of the world’s largest firms published on April 2, 2008. In February 2008, HSBC was named the world’s most valuable banking brand by The Banker magazine.

HSBC Holdings was established in 1990 to become the parent company to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in preparation for its purchase of Midland Bank in Britain and in change of domicile for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. The former was established virtually simultaneously in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and Europe by Scotsman Thomas Sutherland, who wanted a bank operating on "sound Scottish banking principles". Its heritage in East Asia means it is a British institution with an extensive international pedigree.