Loans - Components of Loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total loans		$ 82,917		$ 77,741	$ 67,695
Commercial Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total commercial		62,453		58,087
Total loans		62,453		58,087
Commercial Loans [Member] | Construction and Other Real Estate [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total commercial		10,000		10,300
Total loans		10,000		10,300	9,034
Commercial Loans [Member] | Business and Corporate Banking [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total commercial		19,116		17,819
Total loans		19,116		17,819	14,446
Commercial Loans [Member] | Global Banking [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total commercial	[1]	29,969		26,387
Total loans		29,969		26,387	21,625
Commercial Loans [Member] | Other Commercial [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total commercial		3,368		3,581
Total loans		3,368		3,581	3,389
Consumer Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total consumer		20,464		19,654
Total loans		20,464		19,654
Consumer Loans [Member] | Residential Mortgage [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total consumer		17,758		16,661
Total loans		17,758		16,661	15,826
Consumer Loans [Member] | Home Equity Mortgages [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total consumer		1,600		1,784
Total loans		1,600	[2]	1,784	2,011
Consumer Loans [Member] | Credit Cards [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total consumer		699		720
Total loans		699	[3]	720	854
Consumer Loans [Member] | Other consumer [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total consumer		407		489
Total loans		$ 407		$ 489	$ 510

[1] Represents large multinational firms including globally focused U.S. corporate and financial institutions and U.S. dollar lending to multinational banking customers managed by HSBC on a global basis. Also includes loans to HSBC affiliates which totaled $4,815 million and $4,821 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. See Note 21, "Related Party Transactions," for additional information regarding loans to HSBC affiliates.

[2] Home equity mortgage maturities reflect estimates based on historical payment patterns.

[3] As credit card receivables do not have stated maturities, the table reflects estimates based on historical payment patterns.