With the same ATM card that they use in Hong Kong on their Hong Kong dollar accounts, customers are able to withdraw cash in the local currencies of mainland China, Macau and over 20 overseas locations, check their account balances or make purchases at shops.
The HSBC ATM cards have been upgraded with new functions to allow for the acceptance onto the China UnionPay (CUP) network. These enhanced cards will be issued to new applications for an ATM card or replacement cards. HSBC’s existing ATM cardholders who require the CUP feature will need to apply for a replacement card at the branches, free of charge. Meanwhile, HSBC Premier customers will receive their new ATM cards with the added CUP function in May and June 2007.
This move follows the acceptance of CUP ATM cards by HSBC’s ATMs in Hong Kong in January 2005, which enabled CUP cardholders to withdraw cash in Hong Kong dollars and check account balances.
At present, in mainland China alone, CUP has a network of around 100,000 ATMs and 890,000 POS terminals.
Wan Jianhua, president of CUP, said: We are very excited about this development which will certainly stimulate more spending by Hong Kong visitors in the mainland where they can withdraw cash and make purchases more conveniently and safely. In addition, China UnionPay is actively expanding its network around the world. It is envisaged that holders of CUP cards will benefit further from the card’s wider global coverage when they travel abroad.
