When it comes to corporate taxes in Hong Kong, many people’s first thought is “16.5% profits tax.” But if you think that’s the actual amount of tax you’ll have to pay—you might be overpaying the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department.

Hong Kong’s profits tax system is actually more sophisticated and flexible than many people realize—it features both “two-tier tax rates” and a wide range of “deductible expenses.” If you don’t understand these rules, you may end up paying far more in taxes than you actually owe.

I waited four weeks for the EIN and spent half a month preparing the documents—only to receive an email saying, ”We regret to inform you that we are unable to open your account at this time.”

My application to open a bank account in the U.S. was rejected—no phone explanation, no written reason; it was all wrapped up with a single email. In the first half of 2026, the rejection rate for non-resident corporate accounts at traditional banks was approximately 40–50%. The rejection rate for Chinese sellers on FinTech platforms has also risen from 15% last year to 20–30% this year. The reasons for rejection are not fabricated by the banks—behind every rejection letter lies a compliance gap that can be addressed.

This article breaks down the nine most common reasons for loan rejections in 2026 (including three new reasons), providing specific solutions and alternative banks for each reason.

Let’s get right to the point in this issue: I’m sure all of you business owners have already chosen a bank, but the most critical question is: what’s the next step? There’s a fundamental difference between opening a bank account in the U.S. and in Hong Kong: you must first obtain an EIN, then open the bank account, and only then can you receive payments. Furthermore, a new prerequisite was added in 2026—the FinCEN Beneficial Owner Information (BOI) filing.

This article breaks down the entire process along two main lines—traditional banks (Huamei/Guotai) and FinTech platforms (Mercury)—covering the BOI application, document preparation, the five questions asked during the in-person interview, account activation, and six common pitfalls.

If you're not sure which bank to choose, you can also check out this previous post of mine,

After registering a U.S. company and obtaining an EIN, many find themselves stuck at the stage of opening a bank account—and this is not an isolated occurrence. In the first half of 2026, the rejection rate for corporate accounts held by non-resident businesses at traditional U.S. banks had already climbed to 40–50%, and the trend is toward further tightening.

Two factors combined to amplify this figure. The T86 duty-free channel was officially and permanently shut down in April 2026, bringing an end to the ”direct shipping from China + low-price inventory” model and forcing sellers to shift to a model involving U.S. companies, overseas warehouses, and local fulfillment. While the number of people registering U.S. companies has increased, banks’ processing capacity has not kept pace—the waiting list for opening accounts is three times longer than last year. At the same time, major national banks such as Chase and Bank of America (BOA) comprehensively tightened their policies for opening accounts for non-resident businesses in June 2026, with some branches outright rejecting applications from non-residents.

On one hand, demand is surging; on the other, supply is contracting. This article provides a comprehensive decision-making roadmap for opening a U.S. bank account by examining three key dimensions: a comprehensive comparison of banks, matching seller pathways, and assessing policy windows.

If you've been thinking about opening a bank account for a U.S. company recently, there's some bad news—and a solution.

The bad news is: By 2026, leading banks such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America (BOA), Citigroup, and Wells Fargo will have completely phased out remote video account opening channels for non-residents and non-resident entities. The old method of ”opening a U.S. bank account via a video interview from the comfort of your home” is no longer an option.

The solution is this: The path to opening an account in compliance with regulations has not been cut off; it has simply shifted—from ”online video” to ”in-person verification + custody by a professional service provider.”

This article breaks down the latest policies for opening bank accounts in the U.S. in 2026, compares major banks, provides a comprehensive list of required documents, and outlines the compliance process.