# HSBC launches $1 billion lending fund for female entrepreneurs
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-12
Category: FINANCE
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/finance
Meta Title: HSBC Launches $1 Billion Fund to Support Female-Owned
Meta Description: HSBC is investing in female-owned businesses with a $1 billion fund, aiming to address funding inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic. Join now!
URL: https://financedigest.com/hsbc-launches-1-billion-lending-fund-for-female-entrepreneurshtml

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SINGAPORE (Reuters) -HSBC Holdings said on Thursday it was launching a $1 billion lending fund to invest in female-owned businesses over the next 12 months.

“The level of funding received over time by female-led businesses is significantly lower than male counterparts, while the recent impacts of the pandemic have seen these same businesses disproportionately affected,” Sam Cooper-Gray, global head of market strategy at HSBC Business Banking, said in a statement.

“Female-owned businesses are also less likely to have global networks, meaning international expansion can prove particularly challenging,” she said.

The [fund appears to cover more markets](https://www.financedigest.com/market-turmoil-a-boon-for-trend-following-hedge-funds.html "Market turmoil a boon for trend-following hedge funds") than any other such initiative.

In January 2021, NatWest Group allocated 1 [billion pounds ($1.2 billion) to support female-led businesses in Britain recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, adding to 1 billion pounds the bank](https://www.financedigest.com/first-abu-dhabi-bank-could-renew-35-billion-offer-for-stanchart-bloomberg-news.html "First Abu Dhabi Bank could renew  billion offer for StanChart -Bloomberg News") made available in 2020.

HSBC said [access to funding](https://www.financedigest.com/55-of-uk-smes-unable-to-access-all-funding-needed-to-grow.html "55% of UK SMEs unable to access all funding needed to grow") remained one of the biggest hurdles for female business leaders worldwide. Female-owned businesses had received just 3% of [start-up funding](https://www.financedigest.com/setsquaredskills-up-start-ups-to-pitch-for-global-funding.html "SETsquaredskills up start-ups to pitch for global funding") in 2019, HSBC said.

HSBC’s Female Entrepreneur Fund will be open to both new and existing customers across 11 markets, with [nearly half](https://www.financedigest.com/nearly-half-of-parents-still-give-pocket-money-to-their-adult-children.html "Nearly half of parents still give pocket money to their adult children") of them in Asia, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia. Other [markets include the United](https://www.financedigest.com/fan-coil-unit-market-growth-sturdy-at-3-6-cagr-to-outstrip-us-8339-9-mn-by-2027-tmr.html "Fan Coil Unit Market Growth Sturdy at 3.6 % CAGR to Outstrip US$ 8,339.9 Mn By 2027 – TMR") States, Britain and Uruguay.

($1 = 0.8202 pounds)

(Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Bradley Perrett)


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