The Ho Hong Bank (1917–1932) was a Malayan bank, established to provide banking services that, until 1912, were solely delivered by European banks. The bank was founded in 1917 and in 1932 merged with two other banks in Singapore to form the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation. Formation and Early History of the Ho Hong Bank On 15 1917, Lim Peng Siang registered the Ho Hong Bank. Advertisements in March 1917 informed the public of the establishment of the new bank, with its head office at Raffles Chambers 5 & 6 and branches at 155 First Cross Street in Malacca and 77/79 Jalan Suleiman in Muar. The bank was established with an authorised capital of $8 million and an issued capital of $4 million - $3.5 million (£40,406,976) was subscribed, half of which was paid up. This $3.5 million would grow to $4 million by 1920and over $6 by 1931. The board of directors of the new bank comprised Lim Peng Siang as Chairman, Lim Boon Keng, Lee Choon Guan, Tan Cheng Kock, Chee Swee Cheng, Goh Soo Pin, Chan Kang Swi, Teo Soon Lan, Ng Ah Si, Lim Chwee Chian and Seow Poh Leng as General Manager and Secretary. Business commenced on 2 April 1917. Lim Peng Mau became Managing Director, Mah Kee Keng its Head of The Business Department, Tan Eng Hin its Manager of the Malacca Branch and Tan Chin Tah its Sub Manager of the Muar Branch. A final vindication of Lim Peng Siang could be seen in the $100,000 invested by the Chinese Commercial Bank in the Ho Hong Bank by the end of September 1917. On 1 July 1917 a branch was opened at Batu Pahat, the Ho Siang Bank there having been acquired for that purpose. From the start of January 1918, current accounts were opened at its head office in Singapore. The Ho Hong Bank held its first annual general meeting on Saturday 16 March 1918, and a net profit of $57,574.94 was announced. The company announced an issuance of further capital for branch extension, the next of which would be in Penang. Business in Penang commenced in May 1918, at 85 Beach Street. Following that an agency in Siamese territory at Trang and another in Palembang, Sumatra (Indonesia) were established and by March 1919, arrangements had been made to establish further agencies in the Federated Malay States, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Amoy (China).