天津的金融業(yè)歷史源遠流長，清光緒年間是天津票號和銀號的鼎盛時期，也是銀行業(yè)、保險業(yè)興起階段。自咸豐十年(1860)天津開埠至光緒二十六年(1900)庚子事變，外商紛紛在津開辦保險公司； 英國、德國、美國、俄國、日本、法國等銀行相繼在津設立分行。天津的票號、銀號和銀行達到300余家。中街(今解放北路)成為金融一條街，天津成為中國華北的金融中心。
英國匯豐銀行，是最早在天津設立的外國銀行。英國匯豐銀行創(chuàng)辦于清同治三年(1864),總行在香港。中文取名 “匯豐” ,是含有預期匯兌、業(yè)務發(fā)達的意思。光緒六年(1880),英商匯豐銀行天津分行開始籌建； 光緒七年(1881),在英租界設立，直隸總督兼北洋大臣李鴻章，應邀出席祝賀； 光緒八年(1882),正式營業(yè)。首任買辦吳調卿，在任25年，后任是郭矩卿等。
最初，其行址在寶士徒路 (今營口道)與河壩道 (今臺兒莊路)拐角處。1925年遷入新建大樓。大樓坐落在英租界維多利亞道 (今解放北路84號),由英商同和工程司設計，主樓為鋼筋混凝土結構，古典式造型，解放北路正門，矗立幾棵圓柱； 大樓南側臨大同道，建有偏門，并襯托著古典圓柱，大樓整體外觀雄偉莊重而又富麗堂皇。主樓3層； 地下室建有大型金庫和證券保險庫等； 后樓是儲藏室和雜房。建筑面積共5539平方米。全樓共有房屋98間，大部分是匯豐銀行自用，小部分出租給亞細亞火油公司。
匯豐銀行主要經(jīng)營外匯和銀行各種業(yè)務，清廷和北京政府向其貸款，主要以中國的關稅和鹽稅為擔保，這就使國家的兩大稅收控制在該行之手。匯豐銀行天津分行的地位，一直高于清廷銀行天津分行； 在天津外商銀行中總是獨執(zhí)牛耳；該行成立后，天津的外匯市場價格即以匯豐銀行的牌價為準； 天津外匯經(jīng)紀人也完全由以該行為主席的 “外商國際匯兌銀行工會”指定和指揮，并在匯豐銀行的指導下設有外匯經(jīng)紀人工會。把持了天津的外匯市場。
匯豐銀行天津分行曾在中國發(fā)行鈔票，并一度成為它的主要業(yè)務。該行發(fā)行的紙幣進入華北地區(qū)，其數(shù)額達到47.5萬元。
匯豐銀行天津分行的實力，雄踞各行之首。如1934年天津共有17家外國銀行，資力總額近43613萬元，其中該行資力達8099多萬元，占18%。

·匯豐銀行天津分行

抗日戰(zhàn)爭爆發(fā)后，匯豐銀行天津分行的霸主地位被日本橫濱正金銀行所取代。1941年底，太平洋戰(zhàn)爭爆發(fā)后，日軍接管英、美在津財產(chǎn)，匯豐銀行停業(yè)； 1945年8月，日本投降后，又恢復營業(yè)。
1949年天津解放后，匯豐銀行天津分行經(jīng)中國銀行批準，成為辦理國外匯兌業(yè)務的指定銀行。1950年1月6日，匯豐銀行向人民政府有關部門申請登記房地產(chǎn)； 1954年11月25日，將全部房屋交由天津市房產(chǎn)公司管理； 1955年4月26日，匯豐銀行將在華一切產(chǎn)業(yè)轉讓給上海大華企業(yè)公司抵債。匯豐銀行大樓先后由天津市民用設計院、河北省人民政府、天津市檔案館辦公使用，現(xiàn)為中國銀行天津分行。
The history of finance in Tianjin can be traced back tothe boom of exchange shops and taels shops during thereign of Emperor Guangxu,which also witnessed thestart of banking and insurance. From 1860 to 1900,lotsof foreign businessmen set up insurance companies inTianjin. Banks from Britain,Germany,the United States,Russia,Japan and France opened their branches in thecity. The number of exchange shops,taels shop andbanks surpassed 300. Zhongjie Street (now JiefangbeiRoad) became a financial hub and Tianjin turned intothe financial center of North China.
HSBC was the first foreign bank established inTianjin. It was founded in 1864 with its headquarterin Hong Kong. Its Chinese name "Huifeng" meansexchange and prosperity. In 1880,it began preparationand set up the Tianjin Branch in British Concession in1881. Governor-General Li Hongzhang was invitedto attend the opening ceremony. In 1882,the TianjinBranch began its operation. The first comprador of thebranch was Wu Tiaoqing,who worked for the bank for25 years. His successor was Guo Juqing.
At the beginning,the branch was located at thecorner of Baoshitu Shixi Road (now Yingkou Road)and Heba Road (Tai`rzhang Road). In 1925,it moved toa new building at Victoria Road of British Concession(now No. 84,Jiefangbei Road).
HSBC`s main business was foreign exchange andbanking services. The Qing Government and BeijingGovernment got loans from it with customs and salttaxation as guaranty. As a result,the two major taxes inChina were controlled by the bank. The status of HSBCeven overshadowed that of the Branch of Qing DynastyBank. The HSBC branch took the lead among all theforeign-funded banks in Tianjin. After its operation,HSBC`s quote price was the benchmark of Tianjinforeign currency market. The brokers of foreign currencywas appointed and commanded by "Foreign CurrencyBank Association" with HSBC as the Chairman. It alsoled the Foreign-Currency Broker Association. Tianjinforeign currency market was controlled by HSBC.
The Tianjin Branch of HSBC once issued cashes inChina as its major business. A total of 475,000 yuan ofbank note had entered into the North China.
The value of HSBC Tianjin Branch`s assets reached80.99 million yuan,accounting for 18 per cent of thetotal 436.13 million of all the 17 foreign banks in Tianjinin 1934. After the Anti-Japanese War broke out inAugust 1943,Japan`s Japanese Yokohama Specie Banksurpassed the Tianjin Branch of HSBC. In the end of1941 when the Pacific War broke out,the Japanese armytook over the assets of Britain and of the US. HSBC wasforced to shut down. It restored its operation in August1945,when Japan surrendered.
After the liberation of Tianjin in 1949,the TianjinBranch of HSBC,with the approval from the Bank ofChina,became the appointed bank of foreign currency.On January 6,1950,the HSBC applied the governmentto register its real estate. On November 25,1954,allits houses were managed by the Tianjin Real EstateCompany. On April 26,1955,the HSBC transferredall its assets in China to Shanghai Dahua Company forpaying debts. The HSBC`s building was used by TianjinCivilian Design Academy,the government of HebeiProvince and Tianjin Annals Office. Now,it is used bythe Tianjin Branch of Bank of China.