First-gen banking
Banks for first-gen households
These are researched profiles for a job — newcomer account, diaspora community bank, or corridor subsidiary — not a ranked list of best banks.
Browse bank profiles
Start with a country facet if you already know U.S. vs Canada, or open a profile directly. First wave prioritizes Asian diaspora banks and newcomer programs.
Bank profile
ProfileEast West Bank
United States
The largest Asian American–owned bank by scale, built as a U.S.–Asia bridge for Chinese American communities and cross-border commercial clients.
Bank profile
ProfileCathay Bank
United States
The oldest operating U.S. bank founded by Chinese Americans. Chinatown roots, multistate branches, and Pacific Rim offices for Greater China households and businesses.
Bank profile
ProfileBank of the Orient
United States
A Bay Area Chinese American community bank with a rare full-service branch in Xiamen, China. Smaller than Cathay or East West, rooted in SF Chinatown and Peninsula neighborhoods.
Bank profile
ProfileAbacus Federal Savings Bank
United States
A New York Chinatown-founded Chinese American community bank for immigrant households and small shops across NY, NJ, and Pennsylvania. Mortgage relationship banking more than a national remittance app.
Bank profile
ProfilePreferred Bank
United States
A Downtown LA commercial bank founded for Chinese American clients in 1991. Now a ~$7.7B middle-market lender that still leans on East Asia migration and trade desks in California, New York, and Houston.
Bank profile
ProfileRoyal Business Bank
United States
A Los Angeles Chinese American commercial bank (~$4.3B) built for first-gen Chinese and Taiwanese communities, with 24 branches from San Gabriel Valley to Flushing, Chicago Chinatown, and Honolulu.
Bank profile
ProfileCTBC Bank USA
United States
A Taiwan-parent FDIC bank for Taiwanese and Greater China diaspora households. About $5.4B with San Gabriel Valley depth, Bay Area and Flushing branches, and fee-waived wires into the CTBC Asia network.
Bank profile
ProfileHanmi Bank
United States
The first Korean American bank in the U.S., still oriented to immigrant and multi-ethnic small-business communities in Koreatown and other Asian American MSAs.
Bank profile
ProfileBank of Hope
United States
The largest Korean American bank by franchise scale - a super-regional built from Koreatown predecessors and expanded into a multistate multicultural bank.
Bank profile
ProfileShinhan Bank America
United States
A Korea-parent FDIC bank for Korean American households and small businesses. Smaller than Hope or Hanmi, with bilingual branches in NY/NJ, California, Georgia, and Texas.
Bank profile
ProfileMetro City Bank
United States
Atlanta’s flagship Korean American commercial bank. About $4.5B after buying crosstown rival First IC, with Southeast weight, SBA/USDA desks, and a thinner California toehold.
Bank profile
ProfileWoori America Bank
United States
A Korea-parent FDIC bank (~$4B) for Korean American households and small businesses. Woori Bank name recognition, published Korea wire fees, and bilingual branches from Flushing to LA Koreatown corridors.
Bank profile
ProfilePCB Bank
United States
A Koreatown-rooted Korean American commercial bank (~$3.5B) with branches across Southern California, Bayside, New Jersey, DFW, and Suwanee, plus SBA and trade-finance desks.
Bank profile
ProfileChase
United States
The national megabank first-gen story: payroll and ATMs almost everywhere, ITIN-friendly branch openings, Secure Banking as a no-overdraft starter, then wires and home lending as income stabilizes.
Bank profile
ProfileBank of America
United States
The other national first-gen stack: published visa/ITIN opening guidance, SafeBalance as a no-overdraft starter that still wires, Advantage Plus for payroll, and Merrill Rewards as income rises.
Bank profile
ProfileCitibank
United States
The global-network national first-gen story: Access Checking as a Bank On starter, ITIN openings in major metros, fee-free Citi-to-Citi Global Transfers, then Priority and Citigold as balances rise.
Bank profile
ProfileWells Fargo
United States
A national megabank whose first-gen edge is ExpressSend remittances to India, the Philippines, and Vietnam, plus Clear Access Banking that opens with an ITIN.
Bank profile
ProfileState Bank of India (California)
United States
The FDIC-insured California subsidiary of India’s largest bank. Strong when India remittances and Indo-American relationship banking matter more than a national megabank map.
Bank profile
ProfileICICI Bank Canada
Canada
A Schedule II Canadian bank with an India-parent brand - strongest when your arrival or ongoing money life still runs through India.
Bank profile
ProfileScotiabank
Canada
A Big Six bank with a packaged StartRight newcomer program - often the practical first Canadian account when you need national branch reach.
Bank profile
ProfileCIBC
Canada
A Big Six bank whose Smart Account for Newcomers won Best Retail Banking Product Canada 2026. Strong when you want two years of fee relief plus pre-arrival funding.
Bank profile
ProfileBMO
Canada
Canada’s oldest bank with an award-winning NewStart pre-arrival path. Strong when you need to open and fund from India, the Philippines, China, or other SDS corridors before you land.
Bank profile
ProfileTD Canada Trust
Canada
A Big Six bank with a packaged New to Canada offer - national branch density, long hours, and credit access without a Canadian bureau file for arrivals within five years.
Bank profile
ProfileRBC
Canada
Canada’s largest bank by market capitalization, with Newcomer Advantage packaging, Nova Credit Global Credit Connect, and digital pre-arrival from India, China, the Philippines, and other listed corridors.
Browse by country
Country pages group the same profiles with local criteria. We expand slowly for quality control.
United States
18 profilesStart with the job: new arrival deposit account, immigrant-owned small business, Korean or Chinese American relationship banking, or U.S.–Asia trade and wires. These profiles are researched starting points, not rankings.
Canada
6 profilesCanada’s map mixes Big Six newcomer packages with diaspora subsidiaries that speak India-corridor life. Pick by arrival status, language, and whether you need India wires or a full Canadian credit file.
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