Who are First Hawaiian, Inc.'s competitors, and what are the alternatives?
First Hawaiian's 2025 10-K, filed February 27, 2026, says it competes with commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, non-bank financial companies, insurers, money market funds, hedge funds and private equity and credit firms, that certain large mainland banks and large community banks target the same customers, and that fintechs offer bank products without branches. In Hawaii the main rival is Bank of Hawaii: on FDIC data for June 30, 2025 it held 34.5% of the state's bank deposits to First Hawaiian's 32.1%, followed by American Savings Bank (14.2%), Central Pacific (11.6%) and Territorial (3.0%), now part of Bank of Hope. Mechanics Bank also has branches in Hawaii after absorbing HomeStreet. In auto finance, the line First Hawaiian's 10-K singles out, the rivals are captive automotive finance companies and lenders with manufacturer exclusivity. In commercial lending the 10-K names private credit and direct lenders. On the mainland, where nearly a quarter of its loans already sit, the TriCo deal puts it into Northern and Central California, a market TriCo's own 10-K says is dominated by a small number of national and regional banks; BMO plans 130 new California branches. Non-banks are the rivals in everyday banking: Chime had 10.4 million active members in June 2026, and Hawaii's credit unions say they offer digital banking, cards, loans and payments like banks.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Data as of Oct 20, 2026 · First Hawaiian profile updated Oct 13, 2026 · computed tables recalculate from the 140 bank profiles on this site · Markdown
What does First Hawaiian say about its competition?
"We operate in the highly competitive financial services industry and face significant competition for customers from financial institutions located both within and beyond our principal markets. We compete with commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, non-bank financial services companies, insurance companies, other financial institutions, money market funds, hedge funds, and private equity and credit firms operating within or near the areas we serve. Additionally, certain large banks headquartered on the U.S. mainland and large community banking institutions target the same customers we do. Competition among providers of financial products and services continues to increase, with consumers and businesses having the opportunity to select from a growing variety of traditional and nontraditional alternatives, such as Private Credit/Direct lenders."[1]
"In addition, as customer preferences and expectations continue to evolve, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for banks to expand their geographic reach by providing services over the internet and for non-banks, such as financial technology firms, to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfers and automatic payment systems, without the need of physical branches. In addition, the Company's ability to continue to compete effectively also depends on its ability to attract new employees and retain and motivate existing employees, while managing compensation and other costs."[1]
From the risk factors of the same 10-K: "The emergence, adoption and evolution of new technologies that do not require intermediation, including distributed ledgers such as digital assets and blockchain, as well as advances in automation, AI and robotics, could significantly affect the competition for financial services." And: "Certain of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements than we do."[1]
On dealer finance: "Our share of commercial wholesale financing remains at risk of decreasing in the future as a result of intense competition and other factors", including the need to "effectively counter the influence that captive automotive finance companies have in the marketplace or the exclusivity privileges that some competitors have with automotive manufacturers." (2025 Form 10-K, filed February 27, 2026.)[1]
Who competes with First Hawaiian in each of its businesses?
| Business line | Competitor | Type | Why it competes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home region: Hawaii, Guam and Saipan | Bank of Hawaii | Bank | The largest holder of Hawaii bank deposits, 34.5% against First Hawaiian's 32.1% (FDIC, June 30, 2025), with 51 branch locations in Hawaii and the West Pacific and a West Pacific headquarters in Guam, where First Hawaiian runs three branches.[2][10][11][1] |
| Home region: Hawaii, Guam and Saipan | American Savings Bank | Bank | Third in Hawaii with 14.2% of bank deposits at June 30, 2025, down from 18.2% in 2005; independent of Hawaiian Electric Industries since December 31, 2024 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange after its September 16, 2026 IPO.[2][12] |
| Home region: Hawaii, Guam and Saipan | Central Pacific Bank | Bank | The fourth-largest Hawaii depository by deposit share at December 31, 2025, with 27 branches and 55 ATMs; its 10-K says it competes on personal relationships, service and 'robust digital banking capabilities'.[13] |
| Home region: Hawaii, Guam and Saipan | Territorial Savings (Bank of Hope) | Bank | Bank of Hope bought Territorial Bancorp for $78.6 million in April 2025 and runs 28 Territorial Savings branches in Hawaii; Territorial held 3.0% of Hawaii bank deposits in June 2025.[3][14][2] |
| Home region: Hawaii, Guam and Saipan | Mechanics Bank | Bank | Mechanics operated 166 branches across California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii at December 31, 2025 after absorbing HomeStreet, and its 10-K says banking in those states 'has remained competitive' and it expects competition to increase.[4] |
| Retail deposits, checking and everyday digital banking | HawaiiUSA and Hawaii State federal credit unions | Credit union | First Hawaiian's 10-K names credit unions among its competitors. HawaiiUSA's CEO told Hawaii Business in June 2026 that banks and credit unions offer similar products, 'like digital banking, cards, loans and payments', and Hawaii State FCU calls itself one of the state's largest credit unions.[1][9] |
| Retail deposits, checking and everyday digital banking | Chime | Fintech | The kind of financial technology firm First Hawaiian's 10-K says offers bank products without physical branches; Chime's 10-K claims a significant cost advantage over traditional banks, and it had 10.4 million active members at June 30, 2026.[1][15][8] |
| Retail deposits, checking and everyday digital banking | Cash App (Block) | Fintech | Block's 2025 10-K lists banks among Cash App's competitors in peer-to-peer payments and debit cards, the automatic transfer and payment services First Hawaiian's 10-K says non-banks now offer; Cash App had 59 million monthly transacting actives in June 2026.[16][1][17] |
| Consumer lending: dealer finance, auto and cards | Captive automotive finance companies | Non-bank lender | First Hawaiian's 10-K says its share of commercial wholesale (dealer) financing is at risk from intense competition and names captive automotive finance companies and manufacturers' exclusivity privileges as the forces it must counter.[1] |
| Consumer lending: dealer finance, auto and cards | Bank of Hawaii | Bank | Bank of Hawaii originates indirect auto loans through dealerships in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan and auto leases through Hawaii dealers, the same dealer channel First Hawaiian finances, and issues credit cards from its consumer segment.[10] |
| Mortgage and home lending | Online mortgage lenders and brokers | Non-bank lender | Central Pacific's 2025 10-K says competition for Hawaii loans 'also includes online mortgage lenders and brokers operating through digital platforms'; First Hawaiian's own 10-K says technology lets banks and non-banks reach customers without branches.[13][1] |
| Mortgage and home lending | Bank of Hawaii | Bank | First-lien residential mortgages are Bank of Hawaii's largest loan category, and 94% of its loans are in Hawaii (June 30, 2026); First Hawaiian's Retail Banking segment offers residential mortgages and home equity lines in the same market.[10][2][1] |
| Small business banking and merchant services | Square (Block) | Payments company | Block's 10-K lists 'banks that provide payment processing, checking, savings, loans, and payroll' among Square's competitors; First Hawaiian sells merchant processing services and serves small businesses through its Retail Banking segment.[16][1] |
| Small business banking and merchant services | Central Pacific Bank | Bank | Central Pacific's 10-K says it differentiates on personal relationships, specialized services, competitive pricing and digital banking for the Hawaii customers and communities it serves, the same local small-business ground First Hawaiian covers.[13] |
| Commercial lending in Hawaii and California | Private credit and direct lenders | Non-bank lender | First Hawaiian's 2025 10-K names 'Private Credit/Direct lenders' as a growing nontraditional alternative and lists hedge funds and private equity and credit firms among its competitors.[1] |
| Commercial lending in Hawaii and California | Large mainland banks | Bank | The 10-K says 'certain large banks headquartered on the U.S. mainland and large community banking institutions target the same customers we do', and that some competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technology. Harrison said TriCo's clients will get products 'to compete with the largest banks'.[1][5] |
| Commercial lending in Hawaii and California | BMO | Bank | BMO announced in March 2026 a plan to open more than 130 California locations and is pushing for top-five US commercial bank status, in the state where First Hawaiian has lent since 1995 and is buying TriCo.[7][18][5] |
| Commercial lending in Hawaii and California | National and regional banks in Northern California | Bank | TriCo's 2025 10-K says California banking 'is dominated by a relatively small number of national and regional banks with many offices', whose advantages include a greater ability to finance technology and marketing and higher lending limits.[6] |
| Wealth management and trust | Bank of Hawaii | Bank | Bank of Hawaii runs private banking, international client banking, trust and investment management groups for high-net-worth clients; First Hawaiian sells investment and trust products through the bank and its SEC-registered adviser, Bishop Street Capital Management.[10][1] |
| Wealth management and trust | Charles Schwab | Broker or asset manager | First Hawaiian's 10-K lists money market funds among its competitors for customer funds, and TriCo's notes that mutual funds are 'a major source of competition for savings dollars'; Schwab reported $120 billion of core net new assets in Q2 2026.[1][6][19] |
How do the AI and digital offerings of First Hawaiian's competitors compare?
First Hawaiian first, then each competitor. Use-case counts, index scores and latest moves are computed from our profiles of each company; "No profile" means this site has no page on it yet.
| Company | AI or digital offering | On the record (our profiles) | Latest dated AI move |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Hawaiian, Inc. (this page) | Not disclosed | Index 47.2 (#62); 16 use cases, 12 in production | TriCo Integration Management Office established (Aug 14, 2026)[20] |
| Bank of Hawaii | Microsoft Copilot for all employees and 60 AI Ambassadors; call-center and wealth AI use cases in progress (April 2026)[21][22] | Index 37.8 (#77); 15 use cases, 11 in production | Second-quarter 2026 10-Q: AI risk factor only (Jul 28, 2026)[23] |
| American Savings Bank | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Central Pacific Bank | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Territorial Savings (Bank of Hope) | Not disclosed | Index 2.1 (#114); 8 use cases, 6 in production | SMBC MANUBANK commercial banking unit acquisition completed (Oct 1, 2026)[24][25] |
| Mechanics Bank | Not disclosed | Index 2.3 (#112); 10 use cases, 7 in production | Runoff auto portfolio sold to Bank of America (Sep 16, 2026)[26] |
| HawaiiUSA and Hawaii State federal credit unions | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Chime | Jade, an in-app AI financial partner available to some members[27] | 8 use cases, 6 in production | Agreement to acquire Stride Bank (Sep 8, 2026)[28] |
| Cash App (Block) | Moneybot consumer agent: over 1 million weekly engaged accounts (June 30, 2026)[17] | 7 use cases, 6 in production | Q2 2026: Moneybot passes 1 million weekly engaged accounts (Aug 5, 2026)[17] |
| Captive automotive finance companies | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Online mortgage lenders and brokers | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Square (Block) | Managerbot, an AI business agent for Square sellers[29] | 7 use cases, 6 in production | Q2 2026: Moneybot passes 1 million weekly engaged accounts (Aug 5, 2026)[17] |
| Private credit and direct lenders | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Large mainland banks | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| BMO | Lumi, Aura and the Institute for Applied AI & Quantum[30][31][32] | Index 85.8 (#10); 16 use cases, 14 in production | Evident AI Index 2026: top 20 overall, #2 for AI outcomes (Oct 6, 2026)[33] |
| National and regional banks in Northern California | Not disclosed | No profile | Not disclosed |
| Charles Schwab | Portfolio Insights generative-AI summaries for all self-directed US retail clients (May 2026)[34] | Index 80.7 (#19); 19 use cases, 15 in production | How Charley was built: employee testing, confirmation before any change (Oct 8, 2026)[35] |
Who should look beyond First Hawaiian, and where?
| If you are | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| People who need branches on the US mainland outside Northern and Central California | A national bank such as JPMorgan Chase or Bank of America | First Hawaiian's 49 branches are in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan; the TriCo deal adds 68 branches in Northern and Central California with offices in three Southern California markets. Chase reported 5,083 branches in 2025, and Bank of America runs 3,500 financial centers.[1][36][5][37][38] |
| Customers who want an AI assistant inside the banking app | Bank of America (Erica) or Wells Fargo (Fargo) | First Hawaiian's July 2025 app has an in-app chatbot, but the bank does not describe it as AI. Bank of America says Erica helps more than 24.6 million clients, and Wells Fargo's Fargo passed 1 billion interactions in March 2026.[39][38][40] |
| Customers who want a branchless, app-only checking account | Chime | First Hawaiian is a branch bank. Chime's model avoids branches and ATMs, it had 10.4 million active members at June 30, 2026, and some members can use Jade, its in-app AI financial partner.[1][15][8][27] |
| People who prefer a member-owned institution in Hawaii | Hawaii credit unions such as HawaiiUSA FCU or Hawaii State FCU | First Hawaiian is a listed bank holding company. HawaiiUSA's CEO says credit unions measure success by member outcomes rather than shareholder returns, and both credit unions offer digital banking, cards, loans and payments (Hawaii Business, June 2026).[1][9] |
| Employees who want a bank that has counted its staff AI rollout | Bank of Hawaii | Bank of Hawaii made Microsoft Copilot available to all employees in July 2025 after mandatory training and names 60 AI Ambassadors and an AI Development Center; First Hawaiian names no employee AI tool.[21][41] |
How does First Hawaiian's footprint change with TriCo, and who does it meet in California?
Figures from the July 2026 announcement and the banks' 10-Ks. The deal was expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to approvals.
| Item | First Hawaiian today | With TriCo | California rivals on the record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branches | 49 (Hawaii, Guam, Saipan) | 113, including 68 Tri Counties branches in Northern and Central California | Mechanics: 166 branches in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii; BMO: 130+ new California locations planned[1][36][4][7] |
| Balance sheet | About $24 billion of assets | $34 billion of assets and $29 billion of deposits | TriCo: $9.8 billion of assets at December 31, 2025[36][6] |
| Mainland lending | Lending in California since 1995; nearly a quarter of loans on the mainland | A branch network for full-product relationships | TriCo's 10-K: the market is dominated by a small number of national and regional banks[5][6] |
| Brand and leadership | First Hawaiian Bank | Tri Counties keeps its brand; Rick Smith joins the board as adviser | n/a[36][5] |
Who are First Hawaiian's biggest competitors?
In Hawaii, Bank of Hawaii above all: the two hold 34.5% and 32.1% of the state's bank deposits (FDIC, June 30, 2025). American Savings Bank, Central Pacific and Territorial (Bank of Hope) follow. The 10-K adds credit unions, non-bank lenders, private credit, large mainland banks and fintechs; in dealer finance, captive auto finance companies.[2][3][1]
Is First Hawaiian bigger than Bank of Hawaii?
By Hawaii deposits, slightly smaller: 32.1% of the market against Bank of Hawaii's 34.5% at June 30, 2025. First Hawaiian's 10-K calls it the parent of 'Hawaii's oldest and largest bank', and after the TriCo deal it would have $34 billion of assets and 113 branches against Bank of Hawaii's 51 branch locations.[2][1][36][10]
Who will First Hawaiian compete with in California?
TriCo's 10-K says California banking is dominated by a small number of national and regional banks with many offices. Among banks with pages here, Mechanics runs 166 branches across California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, and BMO plans more than 130 new California locations. Tri Counties keeps its brand after the deal.[6][4][7][36]
Is Chime a competitor of First Hawaiian?
By category, yes. First Hawaiian's 10-K says fintech firms now offer bank products such as automatic transfers and payments without physical branches; Chime's 10-K claims a cost advantage over traditional banks, and it had 10.4 million active members at June 30, 2026. Neither company names the other.[1][15][8]
Who competes with First Hawaiian in auto lending?
Captive automotive finance companies and lenders with manufacturer exclusivity, which First Hawaiian's 10-K names as the forces it must counter in dealer wholesale financing. In Hawaii, Guam and Saipan, Bank of Hawaii also originates indirect auto loans through dealerships.[1][10]
Does First Hawaiian compete with Bank of Hope?
In Hawaii, yes: Bank of Hope bought Territorial Bancorp for $78.6 million in April 2025 and runs 28 Territorial Savings branches in the state, with 3.0% of Hawaii bank deposits in June 2025. Bank of Hope also sits in First Hawaiian's peer group on this site, where it scores 2.1 on AI disclosure.[3][14][2]
Is American Savings Bank a competitor of First Hawaiian?
Yes, it is third in Hawaii with 14.2% of bank deposits at June 30, 2025, against First Hawaiian's 32.1%. Hawaiian Electric Industries sold 90.1% of it on December 31, 2024, and it began trading on the New York Stock Exchange after its IPO on September 16, 2026.[2][12]
Do credit unions compete with First Hawaiian?
Yes. First Hawaiian's 10-K lists credit unions among its competitors. Two of Hawaii's largest, HawaiiUSA FCU and Hawaii State FCU, told Hawaii Business in June 2026 that they offer digital banking, cards, loans and payments like banks, as member-owned nonprofits rather than shareholder-owned companies.[1][9]
What are alternatives to First Hawaiian for small businesses?
Bank of Hawaii and Central Pacific are the local bank alternatives; Central Pacific says it competes on relationships and digital banking. Square sells payments and point-of-sale software and lists banks among its competitors. First Hawaiian's own 10-K lists merchant processing among its services for commercial and consumer customers.[10][13][16][1]
- First Hawaiian, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Bank of Hawai'i Corporation second quarter 2026 earnings presentation (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.2): Hawaii deposit market share, FDIC Summary of Deposits
- Hope Bancorp closes drawn-out deal to buy Hawaii bank
- Mechanics Bancorp Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Form 425: transcript of the First Hawaiian and TriCo investor call of 13 July 2026
- TriCo Bancshares Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Bank of Montreal to open over 130 new California locations
- Chime Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
- Hawai'i Credit Union Report 2026
- Bank of Hawaii Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Bank of Hawaii Shareholders Re-Elect Directors, Approve Pay and EY as Auditor at Virtual AGM
- HEI begins monetizing ASB shares, enabling advance funding of Maui wildfire settlement (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99)
- Central Pacific Financial Corp. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Bank of Hope Receives Regulatory Approvals to Acquire the Commercial Banking Unit of SMBC MANUBANK
- Chime Financial, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
- Block, Inc. Annual Report 2025 (Form 10-K)
- Q2 2026 Shareholder Letter (Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K)
- BMO eyes top-5 commercial bank status with California push
- Schwab Reports Record Quarterly Revenue and Earnings
- Form 425: email from Robert Harrison to First Hawaiian Bank employees on TriCo integration
- Bank of Hawai‘i Corporation 2025 Annual Report (Form ARS)
- Bank of Hawaii (BOH) Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
- Bank of Hawaii Corporation Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026
- Bank of Hope Completes Acquisition of the Commercial Banking Unit of SMBC MANUBANK
- Hope Bancorp, Inc. Form 8-K: completion of the SMBC MANUBANK unit acquisition
- Mechanics Bank Completes Sale of Substantial Majority of Runoff Auto Loan Portfolio to Bank of America (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1)
- What is Jade Financial Partner? (help centre, retrieved 2026-09-23)
- Chime Announces Agreement to Acquire Stride Bank
- Square Brings Managerbot to More Sellers, Giving Main Street an Intelligent Business Agent
- Meet Lumi Assistant: BMO's award-winning AI tool empowering Team BMO
- Aura: Helping power BMO's goal of 50% faster underwriting by 2028
- BMO Establishes Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence & Quantum
- BMO Earns Top Recognition for Responsible AI Leadership in Global Banking
- Charles Schwab Launches AI-Powered Capability That Helps Investors Understand Portfolio Performance and Market Activity
- Charles Schwab's Amy Ruegg: AI Can Make Investing Easier, but Human Expertise Remains Key
- First Hawaiian strikes $2B deal to return to U.S. mainland
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025
- Bank of America Fast Facts (undated page, retrieved 2026-10-19)
- First Hawaiian Bank Launches New Mobile App
- Wells Fargo Reaches Major Digital Milestones
- Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and Merger by and among First Hawaiian, Inc., TriCo Bancshares and Horizon Merger Sub, Inc. (Form 8-K, Exhibit 2.1)
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