HSBC Holdings plc is a public limited company incorporated in England and Wales, headquartered in London.As of 2008, it is both the world's largest banking group and the world's largest company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine.The group was founded from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the acronym of which led to the current name. Today, whilst Hong Kong still continues to be a significant source of income for the group, no single geographical area dominates earnings. Recent acquisitions and expansion in China are returning HSBC to part of its roots.HSBC is Europe's biggest bank and has an enormous operational base in Asia and significant lending, investment, and insurance activities around the world. The company has a global reach and financial fundamentals matched by few other banking or financial multinationals.

HSBC is listed on the London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda Stock Exchanges, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index and the Hang Seng Index.