Bank of Hope to Buy SMBC Commercial Unit

Bank of Hope will acquire SMBC Manubank’s California commercial banking unit in an all-cash transaction. The deal includes eight Southern California branches, approximately $2.5 billion in commercial and commercial real estate loans, and approximately $2.7 billion in deposits, based on December 2025 balances.

Bank of Hope expects the transaction to close in the second half of 2026. The banks also plan to partner to provide commercial and consumer banking services to SMBC’s midsize Japanese businesses and retail customers in the U.S. Bank of Hope said the acquisition supports growth in its commercial banking unit and Asian-business offerings, including combining its Korean subsidiary group with the Japanese banking division.