Silicon Valley Bank's U.K. arm sold to HSBC for £1

Jan 13, 2024

Photo: Philip Pacheco/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Silicon Valley Bank's U.K. business has been sold to HSBC for £1, the British government and bank announced on Monday morning.

Why it matters: Despite its name, the bank best known for serving startups as its customers is a global business, with outposts outside of the U.S. in Europe, Canada, Israel and a Chinese joint venture.

Details: The subsidiary's depositors will be protected, and they'll be able to access their accounts normally, beginning Monday.

Of note: The 2-year-old Bank of London had also submitted a bid to acquire the business, according to Sky News. Oaknorth Bank and ADQ, an Abu Dhabi state-backed investment vehicle, were reportedly also interested.

Thought bubble: The acquisition of pieces of Silicon Valley Bank and its parent company could make the American bank more attractive to buyers by making it smaller and cheaper.

What we're watching: Though the U.S. government announced it would backstop depositors in the U.S. business, no buyer had been announced as of early Monday.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.