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History & Growth

Modest beginnings, steady growth

Back in 1962, when we first opened our doors in Los Angeles Chinatown, we wanted to provide the Chinese American community with access to the U.S. banking system in a way they never had. We’re the oldest operating bank in the U.S. founded by Chinese Americans.

Cathay Bank celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Los Angeles Chinatown headquarters in 1987.

 

As we witnessed our community grow, we as a bank grew alongside them. In 1985, we expanded internationally by establishing our footprint with a representative office in Hong Kong, which was later converted to a branch. That growth overseas continued as we opened representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei. 

Through the years, our U.S. presence has grown tremendously. After opening the first New York branch in 1999, we continued to expand by establishing over 60 branches across nine states. 

But growth, as a company, is more than just brick-and-mortar. It’s a reflection of our performance and our ability to earn the public’s trust. That’s why after we went public in 1990 (Nasdaq: CATY), it was only a matter of time when we became one of the 100 largest financial companies listed on the Nasdaq based on market capitalization in 2000.

 

Cathay Bank celebrated its 55th Anniversary in the New York NASDAQ market site.

 

Today, we continue to be recognized as a top performing bank. Since 2016, we have been named by Forbes as one of the top 20 “Best Banks in America.”

While our headquarters is in Los Angeles, we serve our communities in the nine states with an open door. And we remain committed to a promise: We enrich your journey with hard work and heart.

One bank, many facets

Cathay Bank

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