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Income Taxes - Effective tax rates (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income tax reconciliation                      
Tax expense (benefit) at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate                 $ 104us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ (64)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ (289)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
State and local taxes, net of federal benefit                 15us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 22us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 46us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Adjustment of tax rate used to value deferred taxes                 63us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1] 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1] (13)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1]
Non-deductible expense accrual related to certain regulatory matters                 0hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2] 0hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2] 483hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2]
Non-deductible goodwill related to branch sale                 0hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2] 0hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2] 139hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationNonDeductibleGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2]
Non-deductible goodwill impairment                 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3] 215us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3] 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3]
Other non-deductible / non-taxable items                 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther [4] (11)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther [4] (4)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther [4]
Items affecting prior periods                 (29)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5] (13)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5] 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5]
Uncertain tax positions                 (192)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies [6] 20us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies [6] 45us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies [6]
Impact of foreign operations                 0us-gaap_ForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitContinuingOperations [7] 13us-gaap_ForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitContinuingOperations [7] 51us-gaap_ForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitContinuingOperations [7]
Low income housing tax credit investments                 (26)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCredits [8] (28)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCredits [8] (29)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCredits [8]
Change in valuation allowances reserve                 10us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9] 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9] 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9]
Other                 (1)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments 2us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments (7)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Total income tax expense (benefit) $ 30us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (29)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (206)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 149us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (72)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 32us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 71us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 125us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (56)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 156us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 422us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Effective income tax reconciliation                      
Tax expense (benefit) at the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate, percentage                 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate (35.00%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate (35.00%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
State and local taxes, net of federal benefit, percentage                 5.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 12.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 5.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Adjustment of tax rate used to value deferred taxes, percentage                 21.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1] 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1] (1.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate [1]
Non-deductible expense accrual related to certain regulatory matters, percentage                 0.00%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2] 0.00%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2] 58.50%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseAccrualRelatedToCertainAmlBsaMatters [2]
Non-deductible goodwill related to branch sale, percentage                 0.00%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2] 0.00%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2] 16.80%hsbcusa_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNonDeductibleExpenseGoodwillRelatedToSaleOfBranches [2]
Non-deductible goodwill impairment, percentage                 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3] 118.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3] 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses [3]
Other non-deductible / non-taxable items, percentage                 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense [4] (6.00%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense [4] (0.50%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpense [4]
Items affecting prior periods, percentage                 (9.70%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5] (7.10%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5] 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes [5]
Uncertain tax positions, percentage                 (64.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxContingencies [6] 11.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxContingencies [6] 5.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxContingencies [6]
Impact of foreign operations, percentage                 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential [7] 7.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential [7] 6.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential [7]
Low income housing tax credit investments, percentage                 (8.70%)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCreditsPercentage [8] (15.40%)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCreditsPercentage [8] (3.50%)hsbcusa_IncomeTaxReconciliationLowIncomeHousingAndOtherTaxCreditsPercentage [8]
Change in valuation allowances reserves, percentage                 3.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9] 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9] 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [9]
Other, percentage                 (0.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments 1.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments (0.80%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Effective tax rate, percentage                 (18.80%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations 85.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations 51.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
[1] For 2014, the amount relates to the effects of revaluing our deferred tax assets as a result of New York State Tax Reform that was enacted on March 31, 2014.
[2] Represents non-deductible expense relating to certain regulatory matters and non-deductible goodwill related to the branches sold to First Niagara in 2012.
[3] Represents non-deductible goodwill impairment related to our GB&M reporting unit in 2013.
[4] The amounts mainly relate to tax exempt interest income net of non-deductible interest expense. For 2013, the amount includes a reversal of penalty exposure.
[5] For 2014, the amount relates to changes in estimates as a result of filing the Federal and State income tax returns and a change in state tax expense as a result of filing amended State tax returns upon the closing of the Federal audits for the 2006 - 2009 tax years. For 2013, the amount relates to corrections to current and deferred tax balance sheet accounts and changes in estimates as a result of filing the Federal and State income tax returns.
[6] For 2014, the amount mainly reflects the resolution and settlement with taxation authorities of certain significant state and local tax audits during the second quarter of 2014 which is discussed further below. For 2013 and 2012, the amounts relate to changes in state uncertain tax positions which no longer meet the more likely than not requirement for recognition.
[7] For 2013 and 2012, the amounts relate to foreign (United Kingdom) tax expense for which no foreign tax credits were allowed.
[8] The amounts reflect the early adoption of ASU 2014-01 which permits an investor to amortize its Low Income Housing Tax Credit investments in proportion to the Low Income Housing tax benefits and present such benefits net of investment amortization in the tax line.
[9] For 2014, the amount relates to the establishment of a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets as a result of New York State Tax Reform that was enacted on March 31, 2014.