HSBC acts in the capacity of onshore bond settlement agent for Clearstream’s overseas institutional investor customers, providing trading execution, settlement and custody services in the CIBM.

Ian Banks, Head of HSBC Securities Services for Asia-Pacific, said: “A deep and liquid domestic bond market is a key stepping stone to achieving China’s ambition of making the RMB a truly global currency. Partnering with Clearstream places us in an excellent position to help foreign institutional investors tap into opportunities in the world’s third largest bond market, where approximately RMB54 trillion is currently traded interbank.”

Philip Brown, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Clearstream Banking S.A., said: “We are delighted to partner with HSBC to become the first international central securities depository to offer global investors access to China's Interbank Bond Market. This development coincides with an important milestone, i.e. the inclusion of the RMB into IMF's SDR currency basket, which is expected to boost investors' demand for what is already the third largest bond market in the world. This also represents our focus on Asia and will enable us to offer our clients an attractive and efficient solution to build and further develop their exposure to China's onshore bond market."