What is a company chop? Do I need one in Hong Kong?

Operating a business in Hong Kong might come with some administrative procedures, like ordering a company chop.

Company chop is generally not required in Hong Kong, but it becomes especially important if you have ambitious plans to expand your business into Mainland China, where the use of a company chop is often legally required for official business procedures. So understanding how a company chop works is essential for smoother cross-border operations.

But what exactly is a company chop? How does it differ from a company seal? And where can you order one in Hong Kong? In this guide, you’ll find answers to all your questions about the Hong Kong company chop.

Additionally, you'll discover an excellent way to manage your business expenses with Wise Business — a smart, fast, and cost-effective alternative to traditional banking. With Wise, you can send and receive payments in USD, EUR, CNY, and over 40 other currencies at the real mid-market exchange rate, without any hidden fees. More on that later!

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What is a company chop?

Simply put, a company chop is an official seal or stamp featuring the company’s registered name, typically in Chinese and English.

Company chop in Hong Kong sometimes will also include a business registration number. In a way, a company chop performs similarly like a signature: It is used to authenticate daily business documents and corporate paperwork.

What is a company seal?

Company seal, as known as the common seal, is also quite common in Hong Kong.

But what exactly is a company seal? A company seal (or common seal) is a metallic seal traditionally used to authenticate business documents, but these documents are often considered very formal and legally significant. That’s why in the past, a common seal was once mandatory for highly formal documents, typically those carrying legal meaning.

Company chop vs company seal: What is the difference?

Until this point, you might think company chop and a common seal are similar. In fact, they are both used to authenticate important documents like legal agreements and share certificates.

But of course there are still some distinctions between a company chop and a common seal. The greatest distinction is from a legal standpoint. In general, a common seal has higher power than a company chop. A common seal is only used for strictly legal documents, while a company chop can normally be used to authenticate both day-to-day documents and legal papers.

What are the types of company chops?

Company chops come in two common shapes: round and rectangular. While they serve the same purpose, the details they contain can differ:

• The round chop typically has the company’s Chinese name in the center, with its English name around the edge.
• The rectangular chop carries the clause ‘For and on behalf of’, followed by the company name and a space for a signature.

There are also specific company chops. They are more common in China, but you can also find them in Hong Kong, such as:

• Finance chop: used to settle financial actions, like opening a business bank account.
• Contract chop: used to validate any type of business contracts.
• Invoice chop: used to settle an invoice chop or declare a certain purchase
• Electronic chop: used as a digital version of a traditional company chop.
• Customs chops: used to validate imports and exports paper works.

What are the legal requirements of a company chop in Hong Kong?

Having a company chop is generally optional! A signature from an authorized person is often sufficient for most business documents. However, a company chop can still be very useful for day-to-day operations, as it adds a level of professionalism and authenticity to documents. Some businesses even choose to retain both a company chop and a common seal to provide an additional layer of protection in their business processes.

More importantly, if you plan to expand your business into Mainland China, a company chop becomes legally significant. In China, company chops are officially registered with the government, and are essential for conducting business. Every single company in China must at least own one chop to sign important documents.

Without a registered company chop, it can be extremely difficult to carry out transactions in China, as documents without it are often not recognized as valid.

Where to order a company chop in Hong Kong?

Another reason to obtain a company chop in Hong Kong is that the process is rather quick and convenient.

Fortunately, ordering one for your business is simple: you can have it custom-made by a provider or simply order it from any mailroom store.

To obtain all the paperwork that is required for a company chop, you will have to work with a corporate expert. In certain cases, you will need to have a chop so you can finalize the registration of a company. There aren’t any official issuer or strict regulations for a company chop. That is to say, you can design your own customer company chop which best suits your needs.

Start by working with a corporate expert to ensure you have all the required documentation and understand the specific requirements for your business.

That’s all you might need to know about a company chop. While it’s entirely optional for you to order a company chop, it is quite convenient to just get one anyway. Despite its optional status, a company still represents legally binding decisions on behalf of your business. It is hence recommended to meticulously manage the chops within your company in order to avoid any misuse or unauthorized transactions!

Another important thing to consider while opening a business in Hong Kong: how to manage your finances!

If you're still searching for the best international money transfer options, you may find traditional banks in Hong Kong costly due to their high fees. On the other hand, virtual banks might not support the currency your suppliers require — or worse, some banks may not even offer business accounts at all.

Don’t worry! Wise might be the perfect solution to all of these concerns! Here are the great features that come with a Wise Business account:

• Free self-service account setup: Open your account online in minutes with no monthly fees and start enjoying hassle-free payment services right away.
• Manage global funds with ease: Get paid in 23+ currencies in one account, including local account numbers for 8+ major currencies, so you can receive local transfers for free.
• No hidden exchange rate markups: All fees are transparent, with real-time market exchange rates, and fees as low as 0.26%. Save more on every transaction.
• Instant cross-border payments: Send money to 140+ countries. Quick processing — over 60% of remittances arrive within 20 seconds. Track your payments in real-time.
• Easily handle bulk payments: Upload a CSV file and the system will process up to 1,000 payments at once. You can also integrate Wise’s API for fully automated payment workflows.
• Professional invoicing tool: Create and send invoices, add your account details or payment links, making payments simpler and quicker.
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