Nearly a dozen banks, including overseas Chinese banks and mainstream banks, are located along a less than 1 mile (1.6 km) stretch of Bellaire Boulevard, in proximity to Beltway 8.
The clientele of these banks include area residents and Asian American entrepreneurs.
Robert Lee, an executive vice president of MetroBank, said, "They call it the Wall Street of Chinatown."

In the three decades before 2007, Wells Fargo had one of the few bank branches in the area.
Businesspeople began to open Asian American ethnic grocery stores and seafood markets.
In the 1980s Wells Fargo added signs in Chinese and hired tellers who spoke Cantonese, Korean, and nine other languages.
During the same decade local businesspeople opened MetroBank and Texas First National Bank during a banking crisis that negatively affected the state's mainstream banks.
George Lee, the president of MetroCorp Bancshares, said "All the banks were in trouble, and the ones that were not in trouble didn't understand the needs of the Asian community."
American First National Bank and Southwestern National Bank opened in the 1990s.
As of 2007 many Asian businesses operate in the area, and so Asian American banks have opened to cater to them.
As of that year Washington Mutual (now JPMorgan Chase) was the last company to open a bank branch in that area of Chinatown.
Texas First National is now known as Golden Bank.

Southwestern National Bank has its headquarters in Chinatown and Greater Sharpstown.
American First National Bank maintains a 12-story, $30 million headquarters building in Chinatown.
MetroCorp Bancshares and subsidiary MetroBank previously had their headquarters in Chinatown and in Greater Sharpstown.

Halliburton operates the Houston Office (a.k.a.
Oak Park Campus) on 67 acres of land located in Chinatown and in the Westchase district.
The complex includes the Latin America division of Easywell, a division of Halliburton.
In 2009 the Westchase campus had 1,700 employees; Halliburton plans to increase its workforce at Oak Park to 3,000 workers.
At the Bellaire site Halliburton plans to build a 16-story tower, a two-story "life center," an additional parking garage, expanded child care facilities, auditoriums, and bridges to connect the many buildings.
In 2009 Halliburton had about 1,000 employees worked in leased office space in Westchase.
During that year Halliburton stated that it planned to vacate the leased space.
The plans for the Oak Park office had been delayed by one year, and Halliburton expects completion in 2013.
Nearly a dozen banks, including overseas Chinese banks and mainstream banks, are located along a less than 1 mile (1.6 km) stretch of Bellaire Boulevard, in proximity to Beltway 8. The clientele of these banks include area residents and Asian American entrepreneurs. Robert Lee, an executive vice president of MetroBank, said, "They call it the Wall Street of Chinatown."
In the three decades before 2007, Wells Fargo had one of the few bank branches in the area. Businesspeople began to open Asian American ethnic grocery stores and seafood markets. In the 1980s Wells Fargo added signs in Chinese and hired tellers who spoke Cantonese, Korean, and nine other languages. During the same decade local businesspeople opened MetroBank and Texas First National Bank during a banking crisis that negatively affected the state's mainstream banks. George Lee, the president of MetroCorp Bancshares, said "All the banks were in trouble, and the ones that were not in trouble didn't understand the needs of the Asian community." American First National Bank and Southwestern National Bank opened in the 1990s. As of 2007 many Asian businesses operate in the area, and so Asian American banks have opened to cater to them. As of that year Washington Mutual (now JPMorgan Chase) was the last company to open a bank branch in that area of Chinatown. Texas First National is now known as Golden Bank.
Southwestern National Bank has its headquarters in Chinatown and Greater Sharpstown. American First National Bank maintains a 12-story, $30 million headquarters building in Chinatown. MetroCorp Bancshares and subsidiary MetroBank previously had their headquarters in Chinatown and in Greater Sharpstown.
Halliburton operates the Houston Office (a.k.a. Oak Park Campus) on 67 acres of land located in Chinatown and in the Westchase district. The complex includes the Latin America division of Easywell, a division of Halliburton. In 2009 the Westchase campus had 1,700 employees; Halliburton plans to increase its workforce at Oak Park to 3,000 workers. At the Bellaire site Halliburton plans to build a 16-story tower, a two-story "life center," an additional parking garage, expanded child care facilities, auditoriums, and bridges to connect the many buildings. In 2009 Halliburton had about 1,000 employees worked in leased office space in Westchase. During that year Halliburton stated that it planned to vacate the leased space. The plans for the Oak Park office had been delayed by one year, and Halliburton expects completion in 2013.
Chinatown, Houston