The New York-based bank applied for the brokerage license in 2021, aiming to capture a larger share of the country's onshore securities trading and underwriting market. To support this launch, Citigroup plans to double its local headcount to approximately 100 staff members by the end of the year. The recruitment strategy involves a mix of external hires and internal transfers, including relocating senior front-office bankers from Hong Kong and other Asian hubs to mainland China.

Once operational, the unit will target sectors such as technology, healthcare, and financial services, focusing on both established corporate giants and emerging players in the AI and semiconductor industries. The bank intends to leverage its existing corporate and commercial banking client base, which currently utilizes its services for foreign exchange and cash management, to secure A-share equity and M&A mandates.

Citigroup faces a competitive landscape, with rivals like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley already reporting significant profit growth from their own wholly-owned Chinese securities ventures. While some international firms have recently reduced their presence in the country, Beijing continues to offer Wall Street greater access to its financial sector to drive capital inflows. For Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, the expansion is a critical component of a broader push to improve the bank’s global profitability targets over the next two years.