SMBC Group, one of Japan’s largest financial institutions, is creating 2,000 jobs over the course of six years and investing $50.5 million to establish a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced.
"Japan is one of North Carolina’s top economic partners, and I’m honored to welcome another, leading Japanese company to our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Charlotte, the second biggest banking center in the United States, will be an ideal home for SMBC’s second North American headquarters as the bank continues to grow.”
SMBC will establish its second U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, a city that serves as the second-largest banking and finance hub in the country. The Charlotte project will establish a major hub for the company to support the growth of multiple business units and expand its talent diversity.
SMBC, with headquarters in Tokyo, is part of the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG), one of the three largest banking groups in Japan with more than 150 offices in nearly 40 countries and 120,000 employees worldwide. With roots that date back more than four centuries in Japan and 100 years in the U.S., the company offers a range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. SMFG conducts banking activities through its wholly owned direct subsidiary, SMBC.
This announcement also serves as an example of the strength of the relationship between North Carolina and Japan. SMBC leadership met with Gov. Stein and other members of the North Carolina economic development community during the Southeast U.S./Japan conference held in Tokyo during October 2025.
Japan is North Carolina’s largest country for foreign direct investment. Over 230 Japanese companies operate in the state, employing over 36,000 North Carolinians, according to EDPNC research.
“SMBC’s investment is a strong endorsement of Charlotte’s role as the leading financial hub of the South,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “It also reflects the deep ties between Japan and North Carolina. Japan is our state’s largest source of foreign direct investment, and today’s announcement further strengthens the growing relationship between our two economies.”
Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College, Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, Charlotte Center City Partners, and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.