Hong Kong banks lure wealthy clients with gold, mahjong sets, fireworks during holiday
HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, Standard Chartered, Citibank and DBS offer the metal to select clients while it hovers near a record high
Gold, mahjong sets, fancy lai see packets and dinners with fireworks views are among the incentives Hong Kong banks are using to lure wealthy customers from the city and the mainland during the Lunar New Year, which kicks off on Tuesday.
Hong Kong authorities estimated that as many as 1.43 million mainland visitors would cross the border during the holiday period, up 6 per cent from a year earlier.
The Year of the Horse begins on Tuesday, but the mainland holiday started on Sunday and ends on February 23, a lengthy period that banks see as a golden opportunity to sign up high-net-worth customers to boost their wealth management and insurance businesses.
Gold appears to be the star of this year’s incentives, with major lenders including HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank, Standard Chartered, Citigroup and DBS (Hong Kong) all offering the yellow metal to high value customers.
HSBC is giving gold souvenirs featuring the popular Chiikawa characters to certain customers, while its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank is running a lucky draw for gold medals through March for selected customers.
Both Standard Chartered and Citibank are offering certain wealthy customers gold coins featuring a Year of the Horse design, while DBS Hong Kong is giving out gold-plated Fortune Horse ornaments in a lucky draw.
The price of gold hit a record high of US$5,608 per ounce in January, before retreating to just below US$5,000 in recent days. The metal has risen 15 per cent in 2026 as of Friday, after gaining 64 per cent last year.