Share-Based Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Employee Stock Purchase Plans The HSBC International Employee Share Purchase Plan (the "HSBC ShareMatch Plan") allowed eligible employees to purchase HSBC shares with a maximum monthly contribution of $325 in 2017, $325 in 2016 and $400 in 2015. For every three shares purchased under the HSBC ShareMatch Plan (the "Investment Share") the employee is awarded an additional share at no charge (the "Matching Share"). The Investment Share is fully vested at the time of purchase while the Matching Share vests at the end of three years contingent upon continuing employment with the HSBC Group.

Compensation expense related to Employee Stock Purchase Plans was less than $1 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Restricted Share Plans Under the HSBC Group Share Plan, share-based awards have been granted to key employees typically in the form of restricted share units. These shares have been granted subject to either time-based vesting or performance based-vesting, typically over three to five years. Annual awards to employees are generally subject to three-year time-based graded vesting. We also issue a small number of off-cycle grants each year, primarily for reasons related to recruitment of new employees. Compensation expense for restricted share awards totaled $31 million, $38 million and $42 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. At December 31, 2017, future compensation cost related to grants which have not yet fully vested is approximately $40 million. This amount is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of one year.

Prior to 2017, HSBC shares were also granted to certain key employees on a quarterly basis under a fixed pay allowance ("FPA") program which was discontinued in 2016. The FPA shares were not linked to the achievement of any performance conditions and they vested immediately. However, these shares are subject to various retention periods of up to five years based on the role of the employee. Compensation expense related to FPA shares totaled less than $1 million and $7 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively.