- Visa Enables Apple Pay Support for Chinese Visa Cardholders
Jan 22, 2026
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the 15 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Look For in 2026.
On January 15, Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) announced that it has enabled Apple Pay support for Chinese Visa cardholders. Eligible customers from the partnering Chinese banks will be allowed to add their Visa cards to Apple Pay and make payments at global merchants that offer Visa payment services. This will cover in-store contactless transactions, in-app purchases, and online purchases.
The banks that will be offering Apple Pay to their users include Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Merchants Bank, China CITIC Bank, Ping An Bank, and Industrial Bank. Visa is also working with some other banks to add to its Apple Pay network, such as Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China Construction Bank, China Minsheng Bank, and China Everbright Bank. Visa Mainland China general manager Yin Xiaolong said:Visa Enables Apple Pay Support for Chinese Visa Cardholders
JMiks / Shutterstock.com
As global digital payments develop rapidly, consumers increasingly expect mobile payment solutions that are smartphone-based and interoperable. Upholding our long‑standing commitment to the Chinese market and to our cardholders, Visa is increasing its investments in data and payment security, launching tokenisation services, and taking the lead in enabling their use in cross‑border scenarios.
Visa is focused on its strategy to expand digital payments for Chinese consumers, with transactions secured via Apple Pay authentication methods.
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the leading payment technology companies with global operations. The company offers debit, credit, and prepaid cards to consumers. Visa operates VisaNet, a transaction-processing network that enables the authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions.
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READ NEXT: 10 Best New Penny Stocks to Invest In and 13 Best Gold Mining Companies to Invest In Now.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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- Thunes and UnionPay International Launch Instant Money Transfers to China's mainland
Jan 22, 2026
SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, today announces the launch of faster, more reliable, and more transparent payments into China's mainland following a deepened collaboration with UnionPay International (UPI).
With the new collaboration, Thunes has launched a direct technical connection from its Direct Global Network to UnionPay's infrastructure, significantly enhancing its existing support for the UnionPay MoneyExpress remittance service. The direct connection will result in streamlined access to a massive base of UnionPay cardholders across 79 major Chinese banks, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), Bank of China (BoC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Bank of Communications (BOCOM), China Merchants Bank (CMB) for Thunes' Members globally including banks, neobanks, super apps, gig economy platforms, digital wallets and money transfer operators
Despite being the world's second-largest economy, sending money to China has traditionally been complex, and hindered by hidden fees and the need for recipients to manually declare funds. Thunes' direct connection to UnionPay resolves these frictions. By connecting directly, the collaboration between UnionPay and Thunes enables a seamless Pay-to-Card experience where transactions are credited in real-time or within 12 hours.
Through its Direct Global Network, Thunes Members are able to access a domestic-style payment journey for international payments to China's mainland with exchange rates locked in upfront, ensuring funds arrive directly as RMB to UnionPay debit cards in China's mainland without any manual intervention.
Aik Boon Tan, Chief Network Officer at Thunes, said: "Establishing a direct connection with UnionPay International is a game-changer for our Direct Global Network. This goes beyond access, it represents a high-speed, direct-to-card rail into a leading economy without the friction of traditional cross-border payments. Our Members around the world can offer their customers a truly domestic-like payment experience to a massive base of UnionPay cardholders, ensuring that sending money to China's mainland is as simple as sending a text message."
UnionPay MoneyExpress is a cornerstone of UnionPay International's cross-border remittance strategy, providing a secure and efficient way for funds to reach China's mainland. The collaboration with Thunes strengthens the bridge between global financial institutions and Chinese cardholders. This new integration ensures that the benefits of MoneyExpress, including upfront FX rates and rapid settlement, are delivered with maximum reliability to users worldwide.
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Learn about Thunes: www.thunes.comCision
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/thunes-and-unionpay-international-launch-instant-money-transfers-to-chinas-mainland-302667116.html
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- Bank of Communications (SEHK:3328): Assessing Valuation After Recent Share Price Movements
Oct 3, 2025
Bank of Communications (SEHK:3328) shares have shown some price movement recently, prompting many investors to revisit its valuation. With long-term returns and income growth in mind, there are several trends worth highlighting.
See our latest analysis for Bank of Communications.
After a steady stretch, Bank of Communications’ recent share price movements point to a market reassessing its growth prospects and overall risk. While the share price return so far this year has been modest, the company’s 1-year total shareholder return shows solid, if unspectacular, progress. This suggests stable fundamentals underpinning gradual long-term gains.
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With shares trading below analyst price targets and steady growth in both revenue and net income, investors may wonder if Bank of Communications is currently undervalued or if the market has already accounted for its future prospects.
Price-to-Earnings of 6x: Is it justified?
Bank of Communications is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 6x, placing it below the peer average of 7x. This signals a potential undervaluation relative to similar companies in the sector, especially when considering the latest share price of HK$6.53.
The price-to-earnings ratio measures how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of a company’s earnings. For banks, the P/E ratio is particularly relevant as it reflects the market’s expectations for stable income growth and risk-adjusted profitability.
In this case, the market may be cautious, or it might be underappreciating the quality of Bank of Communications’ earnings stream. Still, a P/E multiple of 6x suggests that investors could be paying less for the company’s earnings compared to many peers. Notably, the bank’s ratio is higher than the Hong Kong Banks industry average of 5.6x. This means the premium is not extreme, but it does exist. The estimated fair P/E ratio, based on regression analysis, is 6.3x. The market may shift toward this level as sentiment changes.
Explore the SWS fair ratio for Bank of Communications
Result: Price-to-Earnings of 6x (UNDERVALUED)
However, risks such as slower annual net income growth and lingering market caution could dampen enthusiasm and limit further upside for Bank of Communications’ shares.
Find out about the key risks to this Bank of Communications narrative.
Another View: Discounted Cash Flow Perspective
Looking from another angle, the SWS DCF model estimates Bank of Communications' fair value at HK$13.34, which is significantly above the current share price of HK$6.53. This suggests the stock may be undervalued by a wide margin. Could the market be missing the bigger picture?
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Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value.3328 Discounted Cash Flow as at Oct 2025
Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Bank of Communications for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover undervalued stocks based on their cash flows. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match - so you never miss a potential opportunity.
Build Your Own Bank of Communications Narrative
If you have a different perspective or want to dive deeper into the numbers yourself, it only takes a few minutes to craft your own view. Do it your way
A great starting point for your Bank of Communications research is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards and 2 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include 3328.HK.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
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- AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of China BOCOM Insurance Company Limited
Sep 12, 2025
HONG KONG, September 12, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" (Excellent) of China BOCOM Insurance Company Limited (CBIC) (Hong Kong). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.
The ratings reflect CBIC’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings also reflect the wide range of support that the company receives from its parent, Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. (BOCOM), including capital, distribution channel, investment management, operational and risk management, and brand recognition.
CBIC’s risk adjusted capitalisation remained at the strongest level at year-end 2024, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company’s capital and surplus increased in 2024, supported by full profit retention and favourable fair value movements of its investments. Other supporting factors include its robust regulatory solvency level as evaluated by the Hong Kong regulator’s risk-based capital ratio. Investment risk remains an offsetting factor in the company’s balance sheet strength assessment given its high-risk appetite for unlisted equity investments. Another offsetting factor is CBIC’s moderately high reinsurance dependency, which is partly mitigated by its prudent reinsurance arrangements and diversified reinsurance panel.
AM Best views CBIC’s operating performance as adequate. In 2024, the company achieved moderate growth in insurance services revenue. The company has maintained a healthy bottom line in the past decade except in 2022, when its net profit was negatively impacted by unfavourable market movements. While investment income remains the key contributor to CBIC’s net profit, its underwriting results continue to be impacted by high operating expenses relative to its small premium base.
AM Best assesses CBIC’s business profile as limited. The company maintains a modest presence in Hong Kong’s highly fragmented general insurance market. The company’s underwriting portfolio remains diversified. Additionally, the company has a diversified distribution network including inward reinsurance, brokers, bancassurance, agencies and direct channel. As the sole general insurance arm of the BOCOM group, CBIC carries BOCOM’s brand name and receives distribution support from its extensive banking network and subsidiaries.
Negative rating actions could occur if there is a material deterioration in CBIC's operating performance, for example, deterioration of the underwriting performance or large losses from its unlisted financial assets. Negative rating actions also could occur if there is a substantial decline in the overall balance sheet strength of CBIC, for example, due to heightened exposure to higher risk investments. Positive rating actions are probable if the company could achieve prolonged improvement in its operating performance that is superior to market peers.
Story Continues
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.
Copyright © 2025 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250912238814/en/
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+852 2827 3426 aaron.li@ambest.com Lucie Huang
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+852 2827 3414 lucie.huang@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey
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- Hong Kong Property Downturn Stings HSBC
Jul 30, 2025
The London-based bank reported a drop in second-quarter net profit and said it plans to initiate a share buyback of up to $3 billion.
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- HSBC launches $3bn share buyback despite second-quarter profit plunge
Jul 30, 2025
Pre-tax profits at Europe’s largest lender HSBC (HSBA.L) plunged 29% year-on-year to $6.3bn in its second quarter, mostly on account of impairment charges related to its investment in China's Bank of Communications (601328.SS) and exposure to Hong Kong real estate.
The bank recorded a $2.1bn impairment on its long-standing investment in Bank of Communications, adding to a $3bn charge taken earlier this year. The latest writedown includes a $1.1bn loss from a private placement of shares by the Chinese state-owned bank that diluted HSBC’s stake.
Expected credit losses rose by $900m year-on-year to $1.9bn, due in part to mounting stress in Hong Kong’s property sector.
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Group CEO Georges Elhedery also cited rising macroeconomic risks. “Structural challenges to the global economy have caused uncertainty and market volatility,” he said, referencing “broad-based tariffs” and “fiscal vulnerabilities.”
He added: “This is complicating the inflation and interest rate outlook, creating greater uncertainty. Even before tariffs take effect, trade disruptions are reshaping the economic landscape.”
Operating expenses rose 10% compared with the same quarter last year, driven by restructuring and higher investment in technology, the bank said. Net interest income — the difference between what the bank earns on loans and pays on deposits — was $8.5bn.
Revenue for the first half of 2025 fell $3.2bn to $34.1bn, primarily reflecting the group’s exit from its operations in Canada and Argentina.
HSBC reported a pre-tax profit of $15.8bn for the first six months of the year, down 26%. Despite the earnings drop, the bank announced a new $3bn share buyback, which comes in addition to a $3bn program launched earlier this year. It declared a second interim dividend of 10 cents per share, matching the payout in the previous quarter.
Return on average tangible equity stood at 14.7% for the first half, though HSBC cautioned that global economic conditions could affect future profitability.
“While we would expect the direct impact from tariffs to have a relatively modest impact on our revenue, the broader macroeconomic deterioration may see RoTE excluding notable items fall outside of our mid-teens targeted range in future years,” the bank said.
HSBC warned that lending demand would probably remain muted in the second half of the year, but said it expects further growth in its wealth management division. The lender also forecast a $1.4bn loss in the fourth quarter, tied to the planned sale of a French mortgage portfolio to Rothesay and CCF.
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- HSBC posts lower-than-expected profits for first half of 2025
Jul 30, 2025
HSBC has warned that it expects lending to “remain muted” for the rest of 2025 after posting lower-than-expected profits for the first half of the year.
Profit before tax fell by 5.7 billion US dollars (£4.3 billion) from the first half of 2024 to 15.8 billion dollars (£11.8 billion).
HSBC attributed 3.6 billion dollars (£2.7 billion) of the decline to the sale of its Argentina and Canada operations while the “dilution and impairment losses” of Bank of Communications accounted for 2.1 billion dollars (£1.6 billion).
Profit after tax fell by 30% year on year to 12.4 billion dollars (£9.3 billion).
Constant currency profit before tax excluding notable items increased by 900 million dollars (£674 million) to 18.9 billion dollars (£14.2 billion), with a strong performance in international wealth and premier banking and HSBC’s Hong Kong business segments cited.
Revenue fell by 3.2 billion dollars (£2.4 billion) to 34.1 billion dollars (£25.5 billion), reflecting the disposals of the Canada and Argentina operations.
HSBC said results from the first six months of 2025 “included allowances to reflect heightened uncertainty and a deterioration in the forward economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions and higher trade tariffs”, and “included higher spend and investment in technology”.
A company statement said: “The group is well-positioned to manage the changes and uncertainties prevalent within the global environment in which we operate, including in relation to tariffs.
“We have modelled a disruptive tariff scenario that includes significant reductions in policy rates, together with broader macroeconomic deterioration.
“The group remains on track to deliver on our cost target. Our growth in target basis operating expenses in 2025 compared with 2024 remains approximately 3%.
“Our cost target includes the impact of simplification-related saves associated with our announced reorganisation.
“We continue to expect demand for lending to remain muted during 2025.”
HSBC Group chief executive officer Georges Elhedery said: “We’re making positive progress in becoming a simple, more agile, focused organisation built on our core strengths.
“In the first half, we continued to execute our strategy with discipline and each of our four businesses sustained momentum in their earnings with each growing revenue.
“This gives us confidence in our ability to deliver our targets. We continue to navigate this period of economic uncertainty and market volatility from a position of strength, putting the changing needs of our customers at the heart of everything we do.”
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- HSBC first-half profit slumps 26% as China losses mount
Jul 30, 2025
By Selena Li and Lawrence White
HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) -HSBC Holdings reported a 26% slide in first-half pretax profit on Wednesday, missing analyst estimates, as impairments from its investment in Bank of Communications and exposure to Hong Kong real estate weighed.
Europe's largest bank posted a pretax profit of $15.8 billion for the first six months of this year, versus $21.6 billion a year earlier.
The result compared with the $16.5 billion average of broker estimates compiled by HSBC.
The lender took a further $2.1 billion hit from its stake in Bank of Communications, following a $3 billion impairment it took in February 2024 amid mounting bad loans in China.
Expected credit losses grew by $900 million compared to the first half of last year to $1.9 billion, the bank said, partly due to its exposure to Hong Kong's troubled commercial real estate sector.
Europe's biggest bank, with a market value of $225 billion, announced a new share buyback worth up to $3 billion, on top of a $3 billion buyback programme announced earlier this year.
(Reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong and Lawrence White in London; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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- HSBC Braces for $1.6 Billion Hit in China Shakeup -- But Investors Are Getting a $3 Billion Surprise
Apr 29, 2025
HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC) is staring down a potential pretax loss of up to $1.6 billion after China's Finance Ministry announced a $69 billion recapitalization for four major state-owned banks, including Bank of Communications (BoCom). Following the capital injection, HSBC's stake in BoCom is expected to dilute from 19% to 16%, though CFO Pam Kaur emphasized it won't touch the bank's capital ratios. Despite the near-term accounting hit, management stressed that the move strengthens BoCom's CET1 ratio, positioning it to compete harder in a market still battling real estate woes and escalating US-China tensions.
Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with HSBC.
China's property sector slump and rising trade pressures continue to drag on the broader financial system, prompting Beijing to shore up its banking giants. BoCom posted a slim 0.9% profit growth last year, mainly driven by reduced credit impairment charges, even as net interest margins stayed under pressure. HSBC's CEO Georges Elhedery voiced support for the recapitalization, calling it a strategic positive that bolsters BoCom's ability to grow a critical move as asset quality risks across the Chinese banking sector remain stubbornly high.
Meanwhile, HSBC dropped stronger-than-expected Q1 numbers and rolled out a fresh $3 billion share buyback, aiming to steady investor nerves in a shaky market. Management also flagged that even under a scenario of sharply higher global tariffs, the direct hit to revenue would likely stay in the low single digits, with about $500 million in potential credit losses. Last year, HSBC already absorbed a $3 billion impairment tied to its original $1.75 billion investment in BoCom, underscoring the complex but enduring ties between Europe's biggest trade bank and China's evolving financial battlefield.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
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- HSBC sees up to $1.6 billion in loss on China bank stake reduction
Apr 29, 2025
HONG KONG (Reuters) -HSBC said on Tuesday that its stake in Bank of Communications (BOCOM) will drop to about 16% from 19.03%, and it will book a loss of up to $1.6 billion as a result of the Chinese bank's fundraising by private placement of shares.
Four of China's largest state-owned banks, including BOCOM, said in March they plan to raise a combined 520 billion yuan($71.5 billion) from investors, including the finance ministry, after Beijing pledged to help them support the economy.
The fundraising announcement came after Chinese policymakers pledged to recapitalise major state banks to boost their ability to bolster the real economy. BOCOM at that time said it would sell shares to raise as much as 120 billion yuan.
After the completion of the BOCOM capital raising, HSBC said it expects the bank's stake to reduce by around three percentage points to 16%, resulting in a pre-tax loss in the range of $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion.
The potential loss will be recognised in the Asia-focused lender's income statement, subject to the timing of completion, foreign exchange changes and other factors, HSBC said in its quarterly profit report.
HSBC said that the loss "would not be deductible for tax purposes" as its shareholding in BOCOM is being held for long-term investment purposes, and it will not have a material impact on capital ratios or dividend distribution capacity.
In February last year, HSBC reported a shock $3 billion charge on its stake in BOCOM, the largest yet by an overseas lender, as bad loans mounted in the world's second-largest economy amid a protracted property sector crisis.
On Tuesday, HSBC, which makes the bulk of its revenues and profits in Asia, reported a 25% fall in first-quarter profit and warned of heightened business uncertainty in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
($1 = 7.2737 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee and Selena Li; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
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