By Scott Farrell King&Wood Mallesons’ Sydney Office
On 18 November 2014, the Chinese government announced that the Bank of China would be the clearing bank for the Chinese currency, Renminbi (RMB), in Sydney. Having an RMB clearing bank in Sydney presents a tremendous opportunity for Australian businesses, whether they are involved in financial services or not. We set out what it means by answering a few simple questions.
Q: Was an RMB clearing bank required to make RMB payments in Australia?
A: No. Payments in RMB can already be made in Australia, either though the RMB denominated accounts held with banks, or through Australia’s RMB settlement system (see below). However, a local RMB clearing bank makes the use of RMB for payments easier, particularly for larger amounts.
Continue Reading What does a Sydney RMB clearing bank mean?