NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

HSBC Commercial Banking has launched the HSBC Connections Hub, a digital platform designed to enable business customers to leverage HSBC’s global network to connect with trusted buyers and sellers around the world.

Businesses in Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Singapore, the UK and the USA can now sign up to the multilingual HSBC Connections Hub for free. The service will be available to customers in France in the coming weeks and additional countries and territories will be added in the second half of the year.

Richard Davies, Global Head of Propositions for HSBC Commercial Banking, said: “Researching and connecting with new business partners can be a daunting task, and one that gets harder with distance. We have designed the HSBC Connections Hub to help break down barriers for companies of all sizes that aspire to forge new business relationships at home and overseas. Every business interacting through the Hub is an HSBC customer, giving users confidence that they already have one practical connection in common.”

Users of the HSBC Connections Hub join an exclusive network that is focused on building meaningful business partnerships. Customers create a business profile to represent their brand, including company information, products or services, location and business interests. A matching engine then highlights potential buyers and sellers in other markets.

Alternatively, customers can search and view the profiles of specific businesses using variables such as location, industry and products or services. Users can send a private message to their target business partners via the HSBC Connections Hub.

Businesses can also add specific opportunities to the network, which other users can filter based on product or service type, value and location. Personalised updates appear in a ‘What’s New’ section on each user’s homepage.

To help businesses navigate the world of international trade and boost their understanding of new markets, the HSBC Connections Hub hosts a library of country guides as well as fresh news and insightful articles.

HSBC Commercial Banking serves more than two million businesses across the world, ranging from small enterprises focused primarily on their home markets through to corporates operating across borders. Whether it is working capital, term loans, trade finance or payments and cash management solutions, we provide the tools and expertise that businesses need to thrive. As the cornerstone of the HSBC Group, we give businesses access to a geographic network covering more than 90% of global trade and capital flows.

HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.), with total assets of US$197.2bn as of 31 December 2016 (US GAAP), serves 2.4 million customers through retail banking and wealth management, commercial banking, private banking, asset management, and global banking and markets segments. It operates more than 228 bank branches throughout the United States. There are over 144 in New York as well as branches in: California; Connecticut; Delaware; Washington, D.C.; Florida; Maryland; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is a Member of the FDIC.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170608005725/en/