<div id="readability-page-1"> <time datetime="2026-02-26T10:13:57+00:00"> Thursday 26 February 2026 10:13 am </time> | Updated: <time datetime="2026-02-26T10:14:07+00:00"> Thursday 26 February 2026 10:14 am </time> <figure> <div> </div> <img width="742" height="495" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.cityam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/0A1A5254-11.jpeg/query-dz03NDI?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.cityam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/0A1A5254-11.jpeg/query-dz03NDI"/> <figcaption>HSBC's new wealth office in the City of London.</figcaption> </figure> London’s banking giants are circling the UK’s wealth management pie. But two other top lenders could be carving out a feast 6,000 miles away. HSBC and Standard Chartered posted hefty bumps to their wealth divisions, driven by a strategic focus on Asia and the Middle East.In financial results shared on Wednesday, HSBC revealed bank-wide wealth revenue topped $9.4bn in 2025, up by nearly a quarter when compared with 2024’s report. The growth rapidly outpaced other divisions. In wholesale transaction banking, where the bank provides financial services to large corporate and government entities, revenue edged up four per cent. And in banking net interest income, income eked out just 0.2 per cent growth. It comes as chief executive Georges Elhedery looks to strip away reliance on interest-bearing revenue streams amid falling rates and double down on areas like wealth management, which are less volatile due to relying on more capital-light sources of income in recurring fees. In 2025, HSBC’s International Wealth and Premier Banking division generated 14.6 per cent of group profit at $4.4bn, whilst holding just ten per cent of the bank’s risk-weighted assets (RWA). Elsewhere, the lender’s corporate and institutional banking division made up just under 40 per cent of profit but held around 46 per cent of RWA.Under regulatory standards, banks must maintain capital in reserves relative to the amount of RWAs it holds, meaning the fewer riskier assets, the more cash it can dish out to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. <figure></figure><h2 id="h-asia-the-engine-for-wealth">Asia – the engine for wealth</h2>Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, told City AM the “well-heeled, sticky customers, who are prepared to pay the fees for a high-quality service” bode well for diversifying mainstream banks.The area bore fruit for Elhedery’s banking titan in the final quarter of 2025 with over $2.1bn pocketed in fees in the three months to December alone – a 20 per cent increase on the same period in 2024.The engine fuelling this growth came almost solely from Hong Kong, which enjoyed a 40 per cent surge in wealth income to $2.2bn in 2025. Meanwhile, on the UK front, wealth income contracted 13 per cent to $391m, largely due to the increased cost of customer rewards associated with the group’s relaunch of its premier bank account. Following the latest financial year, Asia holds more than $1tn in the group’s wealth balances.But, Elhedery still remains committed to wealth expansion across the UK – even as more mass affluent Brits lose confidence in the UK economy following the Labour government’s over £65bn tax grab since coming to power. HSBC splashed $5m on a wealth centre in the heart of London last year in a bid to cater to high-earning customers in the City. In September, the bank also opened its Leeds Wealth Centre, serving over 350 clients holding between $5m and $50m assets.“We have a strong market position,” Elhedery said on Wednesday when discussing the UK wealth performance.“We are growing and we continue to invest for growth”.Mould said: “Going forward, it still seems a reasonable premise that demographics and income trends means wealth management is a potentially strong, growth business, especially in Asia, even allowing for the current travails of China and Hong Kong.”He added it takes “little imagination” to see how wealth could continue to boom in the region as populations grow and economic growth expands. <h2 id="h-bank-battle-heats-up-for-wealth-push">Bank battle heats up for wealth push</h2>The pattern is mirrored in HSBC’s FTSE 100 peer Standard Chartered, which revealed on Tuesday wealth income had rocketed 24 per cent to $3bn after a bumper performance across investment and life insurance.Mould notes HSBC and Standard Chartered report their divisional breakdowns differently making a direct comparison difficult, but adds 2025 numbers more than showed why “wealth management is a key business for both, and why other financial services providers would like to enhance their offering”.Stanchart’s total affluent assets under management jumped 22 per cent to $447bn as the bank sealed a top 3 spot for the biggest wealth managers in Asia. Momentum particularly came from Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea, where the lender opened seven new centres in the last 12 months, bringing the total to 18.The bank also onboarded 275,000 new affluent clients in 2025, heavily concentrated in Asian markets.Both banks have laid out gutsy targets for the years ahead with Standard Chartered aiming for $200bn in net new money from affluent clients by 2029 and HSBC hoping to double its assets under management to £100bn by 2028.And rival banks are hot on their heels with a push into wealth management.Natwest launched its first major acquisition since re-entering privatisation earlier this month with a £2.7bn deal for wealth manager Evelyn Partners.The bank also seemed prepared to displease some investors with the move, as it said it would halt share buybacks until the second half of 2027 as part of the acquisition.With Evelyn’s £69bn assets under management under the Natwest umbrella, the bank will boast a total of £127bn assets, making it the largest of the bank-owned wealth managers. Elsewhere, Lloyds made a play late last year to take control of its six-year old wealth tie up with Schroders. The group serves around 60,000 with near-£17bn in assets. </div>

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HSBC and Standard Chartered are experiencing significant growth in their wealth management divisions, driven by a strategic focus on Asia and the Middle East. HSBC reported a 24% increase in wealth revenue to $9.4 billion in 2025, with a notable contribution from Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Standard Chartered's wealth income surged 24% to $3 billion, bolstered by investment and life insurance performance. Both banks are expanding their wealth management services, with HSBC investing in new centers in the UK and Standard Chartered increasing its affluent client base in Asia.

- HSBC and Standard Chartered have significantly increased their wealth management revenues, with HSBC's wealth revenue reaching $9.4 billion in 2025, a nearly 25% increase from 2024.  
- This growth is primarily driven by strategic focuses on Asia, particularly benefiting from a 40% surge in wealth income from Hong Kong.  
- Both banks are targeting further growth; HSBC aims to double its assets under management to £100 billion by 2028, while Standard Chartered seeks $200 billion in new money from affluent clients by 2029.

How HSBC and Standard Chartered are riding high on Asia’s wealth