Huatai Securities

Huatai Securities is a Chinese comprehensive securities company headquartered in Nanjing. The firm traces its origins to 9 April 1991, when it was established as Jiangsu Securities Company with registered share capital of RMB 10 million. It adopted the Huatai Securities name in 1999 and subsequently developed from a regional securities business into a diversified financial-services group serving retail investors, institutions, corporations, and asset-management clients. Its principal activities include securities brokerage and trading, wealth-management services, investment banking, asset management, proprietary investment, research, and related financial technology. The company’s brokerage platform supports securities trading and customer investment services, while its investment-banking operations serve corporate financing, securities issuance, mergers and acquisitions, and other capital-markets needs. Its asset-management and wealth-management activities extend the business beyond transaction execution into portfolio construction and investment-advisory services. Huatai Securities has progressively expanded its regulatory permissions and international reach. In 2008, it received approval to operate as a Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor, enabling participation in permitted overseas investment activity. In January 2018, the China Securities Regulatory Commission approved the company’s proprietary trading in overseas markets. These developments complemented its domestic brokerage and capital-markets franchise with broader cross-border capabilities. The company has been publicly listed in multiple markets. Its A shares began trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on 26 February 2010 under ticker 601688. Its H shares were listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 1 June 2015 under ticker 6886. Global depositary receipts were subsequently listed on the London Stock Exchange on 17 June 2019 under ticker HTSC. The multi-market structure supports access to both mainland and international investors, while also reflecting the company’s internationalization strategy. Technology and overseas expansion have been notable elements of Huatai Securities’ development. In 2016, the company acquired AssetMark, a U.S. wealth-management technology provider, from Aquiline Capital Partners and Genstar Capital for a reported cash consideration of US$780 million. The transaction gave Huatai exposure to a technology-enabled wealth-management platform in the United States. In June 2020, it launched ZhangLe Global, a mobile application aimed at Chinese people living overseas and designed to provide access to U.S. stock trading. Huatai Securities is therefore positioned as a full-service securities and investment-services brand rather than a narrowly focused brokerage. Its business combines domestic Chinese securities activities with selected international operations, technology investment, and cross-border market access. The available reference material does not provide sufficient information to describe current revenue, assets, employee numbers, controlling ownership, or the identity of current senior executives without additional verification.

Huatai Securities was established on 9 April 1991 as Jiangsu Securities Company. Its initial registered share capital was RMB 10 million. The company operated within China’s securities industry and later changed its name to Huatai Securities in 1999, establishing the corporate identity under which it subsequently expanded its brokerage, trading, investment-banking, asset-management, and wealth-management activities. A significant stage in its development was the gradual addition of capabilities supporting cross-border investment and international market participation. In 2008, the China Securities Regulatory Commission approved Huatai Securities as a Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor. This status provided a regulatory framework for eligible overseas investment activity and complemented the firm’s domestic securities business. In January 2018, the regulator also authorized Huatai Securities to conduct proprietary trading in overseas markets, marking a further extension of its permitted international activities. Huatai Securities entered public markets through a Shanghai listing on 26 February 2010. Its A shares trade under code 601688. The company added an international listing presence when its H shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 1 June 2015 under code 6886. On 17 June 2019, its global depositary receipts were listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker HTSC. Together, these listings gave the company access to mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, and international capital markets. The firm’s internationalization also included acquisitions and technology-led service development. In 2016, Huatai Securities purchased AssetMark, a U.S. wealth-management technology provider, from Aquiline Capital Partners and Genstar Capital. The reported cash consideration was US$780 million. The transaction broadened Huatai Securities’ exposure to digital wealth-management infrastructure and the U.S. financial-services market. In June 2020, it launched ZhangLe Global, a mobile trading application targeting Chinese people living overseas and focused on U.S. stock trading. Across these stages, Huatai Securities developed from a locally established securities company into a multi-market financial-services group. Its business scope encompasses retail and institutional brokerage, trading, investment banking, asset management, wealth management, proprietary investment, research, and technology-enabled financial services. The reference material does not establish a complete account of later corporate developments, current management, ownership, financial performance, or present operating scale; those areas require further primary-source verification.

1. 2020Launch of ZhangLe Global

   The company launched a U.S. stock-trading mobile application aimed at Chinese people living overseas.

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2. 2019London global depositary receipt listing

   Huatai Securities’ global depositary receipts were listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker HTSC on 17 June.

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3. 2018Overseas proprietary-trading approval

   Chinese securities regulators authorized Huatai Securities to perform proprietary trading in overseas markets.

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4. 2016AssetMark acquisition

   Huatai Securities acquired U.S. wealth-management technology provider AssetMark in a reported US$780 million cash transaction.

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5. 2015Hong Kong share listing

   The company’s H shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under ticker 6886 on 1 June.

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6. 2010Shanghai Stock Exchange listing

   Huatai Securities listed its A shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under ticker 601688 on 26 February.

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7. 2008Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor approval

   The China Securities Regulatory Commission approved Huatai Securities to operate as a Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor.

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8. 1999Renamed Huatai Securities

   Jiangsu Securities Company adopted the Huatai Securities name.

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9. 1991Establishment as Jiangsu Securities Company

   The company was established on 9 April 1991 as Jiangsu Securities Company with registered share capital of RMB 10 million.

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A comprehensive, technology-oriented Chinese securities firm with domestic scale and developing international capabilities.

• Securities brokerage and tradingBrokerage1991

  Huatai Securities’ core brokerage business provides securities trading and related services for retail and institutional clients. The broader offering is part of the company’s comprehensive securities model and is complemented by research, wealth management, investment banking, and other capital-markets activities. The available reference does not specify the full range of instruments, channels, or current customer numbers.

• Investment bankingCapital markets

  The company provides investment-banking services within its wider securities franchise. These activities are associated with corporate financing and capital-markets execution, including securities issuance and related advisory work. The supplied sources identify investment banking as a principal business area but do not provide a verified breakdown of mandates, products, or current market rankings.

• Asset managementInvestment management

  Huatai Securities offers asset-management services as part of its diversified financial-services platform. The activity extends the firm’s role beyond brokerage and execution toward professionally managed investment portfolios and related client solutions. Specific funds, mandates, assets under management, and performance figures are not established by the supplied reference material.

• AssetMarkWealth-management technology

  AssetMark is a U.S. wealth-management technology provider acquired by Huatai Securities in 2016. The acquisition gave Huatai Securities an international technology and wealth-management platform. The supplied material does not describe the subsequent corporate structure, product portfolio, or current ownership arrangements in sufficient detail.

• ZhangLe GlobalMobile trading2020

  ZhangLe Global is a mobile application launched in June 2020 for Chinese people living overseas. Its stated focus was access to U.S. stock trading. It represents Huatai Securities’ use of digital distribution and cross-border brokerage services, although the available source does not provide later product updates, geographic coverage, or user metrics.

• 2020Launch ZhangLe GlobalProduct launch

  Huatai Securities targeted Chinese people living overseas with a digital service designed to connect them to U.S. stock trading.

  What changed. The company launched ZhangLe Global, a mobile application for U.S. stock trading.

  Aftermath. The launch extended the company’s digital brokerage proposition to an overseas Chinese audience. The supplied sources do not report adoption, revenue, or later product development.

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• 2018Expand overseas proprietary tradingStrategy

  Huatai Securities had developed cross-border capabilities through its Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor approval and sought broader access to overseas markets.

  What changed. The China Securities Regulatory Commission granted the company permission to conduct proprietary trading in overseas markets.

  Aftermath. The approval widened the scope of Huatai Securities’ permitted international trading activities. No later performance data is provided in the reference material.

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• 2016Acquire AssetMarkM&A

  Huatai Securities sought to expand its international wealth-management and financial-technology capabilities through the purchase of a U.S. provider.

  What changed. The company acquired AssetMark from Aquiline Capital Partners and Genstar Capital in a reported cash transaction valued at US$780 million.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded Huatai Securities’ exposure to U.S. wealth-management technology and supported its broader internationalization effort. The supplied material does not document subsequent financial or operational outcomes.

  Reported acquisition consideration. US$780 million cash consideration (2016)

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• 2020Huatai Securities launches ZhangLe Global

  The company introduced ZhangLe Global, a mobile application aimed at Chinese people living overseas and offering U.S. stock trading functionality.

  Product launch
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• 2019Huatai Securities lists global depositary receipts in London

  Global depositary receipts representing Huatai Securities shares began trading on the London Stock Exchange under ticker HTSC.

  Other
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• 2018Huatai Securities receives approval for overseas proprietary trading

  The China Securities Regulatory Commission granted Huatai Securities permission to conduct proprietary trading in overseas markets.

  Regulation
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• 2016Huatai Securities acquires AssetMark

  Huatai Securities acquired AssetMark, a U.S. wealth-management technology provider, from Aquiline Capital Partners and Genstar Capital in a reported cash transaction valued at US$780 million.

  M&A
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• 2010Huatai Securities lists on the Shanghai Stock Exchange

  Huatai Securities’ A shares began trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under ticker 601688.

  Other
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• 2008Huatai Securities receives Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor approval

  The China Securities Regulatory Commission approved Huatai Securities to operate as a Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor, expanding its permitted overseas investment capabilities.

  RegulationOther
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1. Huatai Securities
2. Huatai Securities official website