Personal accounts: Macau

Updated 6 October 2026

An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.

A personal account in Macau is opened at local banks supervised by the Monetary Authority of Macao. It is easiest for a resident with a Macau identity card, but banks also open accounts for non-residents who work in Macau, run a business here or visit regularly. The pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar, about 8.08 patacas per US dollar at the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026.

Who needs an account in Macau in practice

• People working in Macau on a work permit, for salary and expenses.
• Owners and directors of local companies, for personal expenses separate from the company account.
• People often in Hong Kong and mainland China, for payments in Hong Kong dollars and yuan.
• People relocating under talent and investor programmes.
• Students at Macau universities, for tuition, housing and expenses.
• Owners of property in Macau, for housing costs and taxes.

Macau, Hong Kong and mainland China

The Hong Kong dollar is accepted everywhere in Macau, and yuan are needed for spending on the mainland. So many people hold accounts in several currencies at a local bank and move money between Macau, Hong Kong and neighbouring Zhuhai without extra conversions. The bank will ask for documents for large cash sums, including casino winnings.

What you need

• passport, and for residents a Macau identity card;
• proof of address in Macau or your country of residence;
• for employees, a work permit and an employer letter;
• source-of-funds evidence for large sums;
• tax number of your country of residence and a form for automatic exchange of tax information.

Working and living in Macau

A foreigner employed in Macau receives a non-resident worker identity card, with which the bank opens a salary account on standard terms. Specialists and investors relocating have separate programmes leading to a Macau resident identity card.

Deposit protection

Since October 2024 deposits are protected up to 800,000 patacas, about $99,000, per depositor per bank; the previous limit was 500,000 patacas.

Taxes on the account

• Individuals' deposit interest is not taxed in Macau.
• Salary is subject to professional tax on a progressive scale with a tax-free threshold.
• Macau participates in automatic exchange of tax information: non-residents' account details go to their countries.

How opening works

1. Profile assessment: status, work or business in Macau, source of funds.
2. Choosing a bank and account currencies.
3. Documents and proof of address.
4. Branch visit.
5. Account, card, online banking and, if needed, multi-currency accounts.

Why banks refuse

• A non-resident with no link to Macau or clear purpose.
• Source of funds not proven, especially large cash sums.
• Sanctions risk by nationality or counterparties.
• Inconsistencies in the tax residency form.
• No proof of address or work permit where the bank requires them.

What we do

Murblz specialists choose a bank for your status, prepare documents and the source-of-funds explanation, and support the opening until the decision. If you are relocating or opening a company in Macau, we link the account to those tasks. We quote the cost after a short consultation; the decision always rests with the bank.

What we do

• Personal account - opening assistance

See also

Company formation · Business account · Investment property

FAQ