<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>144</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <filer>
        <filerCredentials>
          <cik>0001186026</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </filerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>



    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <issuerInfo>
      <issuerCik>0000861842</issuerCik>
      <issuerName>Cathay General Bancorp</issuerName>
      <secFileNumber>001-31830</secFileNumber>
      <issuerAddress>
        <com:street1>9650 Flair Drive</com:street1>
        <com:city>El Monte</com:city>
        <com:stateOrCountry>CA</com:stateOrCountry>
        <com:zipCode>91731</com:zipCode>
      </issuerAddress>
      <issuerContactPhone>6262793296</issuerContactPhone>
      <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>PACJU LLC</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
      <relationshipsToIssuer>
        <relationshipToIssuer>Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
      </relationshipsToIssuer>
    </issuerInfo>
    <securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesClassTitle>common stock</securitiesClassTitle>
      <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <name>UBS Financial Services Inc</name>
        <address>
          <com:street1>1000 Harbor Blvd</com:street1>
          <com:street2>3rd Floor</com:street2>
          <com:city>Weehawken</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>NJ</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>07086</com:zipCode>
        </address>
      </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
      <noOfUnitsSold>20000</noOfUnitsSold>
      <aggregateMarketValue>940000</aggregateMarketValue>
      <noOfUnitsOutstanding>72658810</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
      <approxSaleDate>10/30/2024</approxSaleDate>
      <securitiesExchangeName>NASDAQ</securitiesExchangeName>
    </securitiesInformation>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>common stock</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>03/18/2006</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>stock option plan</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Cathay General Bancorp</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>20000</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>03/18/2006</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>cash - option exercise</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
    <remarks>PACJU LLC is the seller of Cathay General Bancorp. Ping-Yuan Wu is a member of the LLC and Vice Chairman at Cathay General Bancorp.

</remarks>
    <noticeSignature>
      <noticeDate>10/30/2024</noticeDate>
      <signature>/s/ UBS Financial Services Inc, as attorney-in-fact for PACJU LLC</signature>
    </noticeSignature>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
