CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of Japan’s largest banks is planning a second U.S. headquarters for Charlotte.
The bank, SMBC Group, said it plans to create 2,000 jobs by the end of 2032 with its new Uptown headquarters.
The company said it will hire about 1,800 employees from the area, and the rest will relocate to Mecklenburg County.
SMBC employees already has 160 employees based in Charlotte, the company said.
“A major financial services hub, Charlotte has a deep pool of talent that we will tap into and help build out as we position our bank for long-term success while contributing to the broader local economy,” Hirofumi Otsuka, CEO for SMBC Americas, said.
The jobs announcement was recently made at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre.
County officials said last year’s partnership with the city featured their most successful in over a decade. The two governments say they attracted over 6,300 jobs and $500 million in capital investment in 2025.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Gov. Josh Stein both thanked the company for selecting the Queen City as its second headquarters location.
“This investment reinforces the city’s reputation as a destination for forward-thinking organizations and world-class talent,” Lyles said.
“Japan is one of North Carolina’s top economic partners, and I’m honored to welcome another leading Japanese company to our state,” the governor said.
The bank’s global headquarters is located in Tokyo, and SMBC has more than 86,000 employees in 40 countries over its 400 year history. They offer financial services, including banking, lending and credit cards.