Banking Ordinance

Banking Ordinance
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Long title An Ordinance to regulate banking business and the business of taking deposits; to make provision for the supervision of authorized institutions so as to provide a measure of protection to depositors; to promote the general stability and effective working of the banking system; to make provision for the supervision of money brokers; and to provide for matters incidental thereto or connected therewith.
Citation	Cap. 155
Passed by	Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Passed	7 March 1986
Commenced	30 May 1986
Legislative history
Introduced by	Financial Secretary Sir John Henry Bremridge
First reading	19 March 1986
Second reading	28 May 1986
Third reading	28 May 1986
Amended by
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018[1]
Status: Current legislation

The Banking Ordinance is a set of laws passed by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong to tighten restrictions for opening up or licensing a bank. Prior to the 1964 re-regulations, the government had no way to control bank's monetary effect on the economy. It also had no way of protecting the people utilizing the institutions. Banking was considered a Laissez-faire network, and was also described as "Free Banking" or "Wildcat Banking" filled with much uncertainty.