Subject to Completion Preliminary Term Sheet dated November 25, 2020 Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
 Registration Statement No. 333-223208
(To Prospectus dated February 26, 2018,
Prospectus Supplement dated February 26, 2018 and
Product Supplement EQUITY ARN-1 dated March 19, 2019)

Units $10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No.	Pricing Date* Settlement Date* Maturity Date*	December  , 2020 December  , 2020 February  , 2022
	*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the “pricing date”)

Accelerated Return Notes^® Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index

§      Maturity of approximately 14 months

§      3-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the Index, subject to a capped return of [14.00% to 18.00%]

§      1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Index, with up to 100% of your investment at risk

§      All payments occur at maturity and are subject to the credit risk of HSBC USA Inc.

§      No interest payments

§      In addition to the underwriting discount set forth below, the notes include a hedging-related charge of $0.05 per unit. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution—Role of MLPF&S and BofAS”

§      No listing on any securities exchange 

The notes are being issued by HSBC USA Inc. (“HSBC”). Investing in the notes involves a number of risks. There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and costs. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and beginning on page PS-6 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

The estimated initial value of the notes on the pricing date is expected to be between $8.50 and $9.50 per unit, which will be less than the public offering price listed below. The market value of the notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy. See “Summary” on page TS-2 and “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet for additional information.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this document, the accompanying product supplement, prospectus or prospectus supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

	Per Unit	Total
Public offering price(1)	$    10.000	$
Underwriting discount(1)	$      0.175	$
Proceeds, before expenses, to HSBC	$      9.825	$

(1) For any purchase of 300,000 units or more in a single transaction by an individual investor or in combined transactions with the investor’s household in this offering, the public offering price and the underwriting discount will be $9.950 per unit and $0.125 per unit, respectively. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution” below.

The notes: 

Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

BofA Securities

December    , 2020

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Summary

The Accelerated Return Notes^® Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February , 2022 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities and are not a direct or indirect obligation of any third party. The notes are not deposit liabilities or other obligations of a bank and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States or any other jurisdiction. The notes will rank equally with all of our other senior unsecured debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, depend on the credit risk of HSBC and its ability to satisfy its obligations as they come due. The notes provide you a leveraged return, subject to a cap, if the Ending Value of the Market Measure, which is the Nasdaq-100^® Index (the “Index”), is greater than the Starting Value. If the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value, you will lose all or a portion of the principal amount of your notes. Any payments on the notes will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Index, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.

The estimated initial value of the notes will be less than the price you pay to purchase the notes. The estimated initial value is determined by reference to our or our affiliates’ internal pricing models and reflects our internal funding rate, which is the borrowing rate we pay to issue market-linked notes, and the market prices for hedging arrangements related to the notes (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives). This internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would use when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. The difference in the borrowing rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the costs associated with hedging the notes, including the hedging-related charge described below, will reduce the economic terms of the notes (including the Capped Value). The estimated initial value will be calculated on the pricing date and will be set forth in the pricing supplement to which this term sheet relates.

Terms of the Notes		Redemption Amount Determination
Issuer:	HSBC USA Inc. (“HSBC”)	On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows:
Principal Amount:	$10.00 per unit
Term:	Approximately 14 months
Market Measure:	The Nasdaq-100® Index  (Bloomberg symbol: “NDX”), a price return index
Starting Value:	The closing level of the Index on the pricing date
Ending Value:	The average of the closing levels of the Index on each calculation day occurring during the Maturity Valuation Period. The scheduled calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page PS-23 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.
Participation Rate:	300%
Capped Value:	[$11.40 to $11.80] per unit, which represents a return of [14.00% to 18.00%] over the principal amount. The actual Capped Value will be determined on the pricing date.
Maturity Valuation Period:	Five scheduled calculation days shortly before the maturity date.
Fees Charged:	The public offering price of the notes includes the underwriting discount of $0.175 per unit as listed on the cover page and an additional charge of $0.05 per unit more fully described on page TS-11.
Calculation Agent:	BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”) and HSBC, acting jointly.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-2

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and the documents listed below (together, the “Note Prospectus”). The documents have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated below or obtained from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) or BofAS by calling 1-800-294-1322:

§Product supplement EQUITY ARN-1 dated March 19, 2019:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000114420419014912/tv516432_424b5.htm

§Prospectus supplement dated February 26, 2018:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000114420418010762/tv486944_424b2.htm

§Prospectus dated February 26, 2018:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000114420418010720/tv487083_424b3.htm

As a result of the completion of the reorganization of Bank of America’s U.S. broker-dealer business, references to MLPF&S in the accompanying prospectus supplement and product supplement EQUITY ARN-1, as such references relate to MLPF&S’s institutional services, should be read as references to BofAS.

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 83246. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, for information about us and this offering. Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” in the section indicated on the cover of this term sheet. The notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references are to HSBC.

Investor Considerations

You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:

§ You anticipate that the Index will increase moderately from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

§ You accept that your investment will result in a loss, which could be significant, if the Index decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value.

§ You accept that the return on the notes will be capped.

§ You are willing to forgo the interest payments that are paid on traditional interest bearing debt securities.

§ You are willing to forgo dividends or other benefits of owning the stocks included in the Index.

§ You are willing to accept that a secondary market is not expected to develop for the notes, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, may be less than the principal amount and will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness, our internal funding rate and the fees charged, as described on page TS-2.

§ You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Redemption Amount.

The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:

§ You believe that the Index will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value or that it will not increase sufficiently over the term of the notes to provide you with your desired return.

§ You seek principal repayment or preservation of capital.

§ You seek an uncapped return on your investment.

§ You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment.

§ You want to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Index.

§ You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market.

§ You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes.

We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-3

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Hypothetical Payout Profile

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

Accelerated Return Notes^®     This graph reflects the returns on the notes, based on the Participation Rate of 300% and a Capped Value of $11.60 per unit (the midpoint of the Capped Value range of [$11.40 to $11.80]). The green line reflects the returns on the notes, while the dotted gray line reflects the returns of a direct investment in the stocks included in the Index, excluding dividends.   This graph has been prepared for purposes of illustration only. 

Hypothetical Payments at Maturity

The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Ending Value, Capped Value, and term of your investment.

The following table is based on a Starting Value of 100.00, the Participation Rate of 300% and a Capped Value of $11.60 per unit. It illustrates the effect of a range of Ending Values on the Redemption Amount per unit of the notes and the total rate of return to holders of the notes. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.

Ending Value	Percentage Change from the Starting Value to the Ending Value	Redemption Amount per Unit	Total Rate of Return on the Notes
0.00	-100.00%	$0.00	-100.00%
50.00	-50.00%	$5.00	-50.00%
80.00	-20.00%	$8.00	-20.00%
90.00	-10.00%	$9.00	-10.00%
94.00	-6.00%	$9.40	-6.00%
97.00	-3.00%	$9.70	-3.00%
100.00(1)	0.00%	$10.00	0.00%
102.00	2.00%	$10.60	6.00%
103.00	3.00%	$10.90	9.00%
105.34	5.34%	$11.60(2)	16.00%
110.00	10.00%	$11.60	16.00%
120.00	20.00%	$11.60	16.00%
150.00	50.00%	$11.60	16.00%
200.00	100.00%	$11.60	16.00%

(1) The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent a likely actual Starting Value for the Index.

(2) The Redemption Amount per unit cannot exceed the hypothetical Capped Value.

For recent actual levels of the Index, see “The Index” section below. The Index is a price return index and as such the Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the stocks included in the Index, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in those stocks directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-4

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples

Example 1

The Ending Value is 50.00, or 50.00% of the Starting Value:

Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	50.00

= $5.00 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 2

The Ending Value is 103.00, or 103.00% of the Starting Value:

Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	103.00

= $10.90 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 3

The Ending Value is 130.00, or 130.00% of the Starting Value:

Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	130.00

= $19.00, however, because the Redemption Amount for the notes cannot exceed the Capped Value, the Redemption Amount will be $11.60 per unit

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-5

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Risk Factors

We urge you to read the section “Risk Factors” in the product supplement and in the accompanying prospectus supplement. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the stocks included in the Index. You should understand the risks of investing in the notes and should reach an investment decision only after careful consideration, with your advisers, with respect to the notes in light of your particular financial and other circumstances and the information set forth in this term sheet and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus.

In addition to the risks in the product supplement identified below, you should review “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus supplement, including the explanation of risks relating to the notes described in the section “— Risks Relating to All Note Issuances.”

Structure-related Risks

§ Depending on the performance of the Index as measured shortly before the maturity date, you may lose up to 100% of the principal amount.

§ Your investment return is limited to the return represented by the Capped Value and may be less than a comparable investment directly in the stocks included in the Index.

§ Your return on the notes may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity.

§ Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment.

Valuation- and Market-related Risks

§ The estimated initial value of the notes will be less than the public offering price and may differ from the market value of the notes in the secondary market, if any. We will determine the estimated initial value by reference to our or our affiliates’ internal pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, which can include volatility and interest rates. These pricing models rely in part on certain forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. Different pricing models and assumptions could provide valuations for the notes that are different from our estimated initial value. The estimated initial value will reflect our internal funding rate we use to issue market-linked notes, as well as the mid-market value of the hedging arrangements related to the notes (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives).

§ Our internal funding rate for the issuance of these notes is lower than the rate we would use when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities. This is one of the factors that may result in the market value of the notes being less than their estimated initial value. As a result of the difference between our internal funding rate and the rate we would use when we issue conventional fixed or floating rate debt securities, the estimated initial value of the notes may be lower if it were based on the levels at which our fixed or floating rate debt securities trade in the secondary market. In addition, if we were to use the rate we use for our conventional fixed or floating rate debt issuances, we would expect the economic terms of the notes to be more favorable to you.

§ The price of your notes in the secondary market, if any, immediately after the pricing date will be less than the public offering price. The public offering price takes into account certain costs, principally the underwriting discount, the hedging costs described on page TS-11 and the costs associated with issuing the notes. The costs associated with issuing the notes will be used or retained by us or one of our affiliates. If you were to sell your notes in the secondary market, if any, the price you would receive for your notes may be less than the price you paid for them.

§ The estimated initial value does not represent a minimum price at which we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates would be willing to purchase your notes in the secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The price of your notes in the secondary market, if any, at any time after issuance will vary based on many factors, including the level of the Index and changes in market conditions, and cannot be predicted with accuracy. The notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments, and you should, therefore, be able and willing to hold the notes to maturity. Any sale of the notes prior to maturity could result in a loss to you.

§ A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. None of us, MLPF&S or BofAS is obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market.

Conflict-related Risks

§ Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates (including trades in shares of companies included in the Index), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you.

§ There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agents, one of which is us and one of which is BofAS. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agents.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-6

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Market Measure-related Risks

§ The Index sponsor may adjust the Index in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests.

§ You will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive securities or dividends or other distributions by issuers of those securities.

§ While we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates may from time to time own securities of companies included in the Index, we, MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates do not control any company included in the Index, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company.

§ Because the Index includes equity securities of non-U.S. companies, your return on the notes may be affected by factors affecting international securities markets.

Tax-related Risks

§ The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes. See “Summary Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page PS-40 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-7

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

The Index

We have derived all information contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation and changes in its components, from publicly available sources.  That information reflects the policies of and is subject to change by Nasdaq, Inc. (the “Index sponsor”). The Index sponsor is under no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue or suspend the publication of the Index at any time. The consequences of the Index sponsor discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section entitled “Description of ARNs—Discontinuance of an Index” beginning on page PS-26 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1. None of us, the calculation agents, MLPF&S or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Index or any successor index.

General

The Index includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. The Index reflects companies across major industry groups including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology. It does not contain securities of financial companies including investment companies. The Index is reported by Bloomberg under the ticker symbol “NDX.”

Launched in January 1985, the Index represents the largest non-financial domestic and international securities listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. The Index is calculated under a modified capitalization-weighted methodology. The methodology is expected to retain in general the economic attributes of capitalization-weighting while providing enhanced diversification. To accomplish this, Nasdaq reviews the composition of the Index on a quarterly basis and adjusts the weightings of Index components using a proprietary algorithm, if certain pre-established weight distribution requirements are not met.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for initial inclusion in the Index, a security must meet the following criteria:

· the issuer of the security’s primary U.S. listing must be exclusively listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market (unless the security was dually listed on another U.S. market prior to January 1, 2004 and has continuously maintained such listing);

· a security must be issued by a non-financial company;

· a security may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;

· a security must have a three-month average daily trading volume of at least 200,000 shares measured annually during the ranking review process;

· if the issuer of the security is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such security must have listed options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be eligible for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the U.S.;

· the issuer of the security may not have entered into a definitive agreement or other arrangement which would likely result in the security no longer being eligible;

· the issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn; and

· the security must have “seasoned” on Nasdaq, NYSE or CBOE. Generally, a company is considered to be seasoned if it has been listed on a market for at least three full months (excluding the first month of initial listing).

Security types generally eligible for the Index include common stocks, ordinary shares, ADRs, and tracking stocks. Security or company types not included in the Index are closed-end funds, convertible debentures, exchange traded funds, limited liability companies, limited partnership interests, preferred stocks, rights, shares or units of beneficial interest, warrants, units and other derivative securities. The Index does not contain securities of investment companies.

There is no minimum market capitalization requirement. Inclusion will be determined based on the top 100 largest issuers based on market capitalization meeting all other eligibility requirements. Market capitalization is determined by multiplying a security’s last sale price by its total shares outstanding.

To be eligible for continued inclusion in the Index, a security must continue to meet similar criteria as outlined above.

Index Evaluation

Except under extraordinary circumstances that may result in an interim evaluation, Index composition is reviewed on an annual basis as follows. Issuer securities which meet the applicable eligibility criteria are ranked by market value. Index-eligible securities which are already in the Index and whose issuer is ranked in the top 100 eligible companies (based on market capitalization) are retained in the Index. An index issuer that is ranked 101 to 125 is also retained, provided that such issuer was ranked in the top 100 eligible issuers as of the previous ranking review or was added to the Index subsequent to the previous ranking review. Index issuers not meeting such criteria are replaced. The replacement securities chosen are those Index-eligible securities not currently in the Index whose issuers have the largest market capitalization. The data used in the ranking includes end of October market data and is updated for total shares outstanding submitted in a publicly filed SEC document via EDGAR through the end of November.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-8

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Replacements are made effective after the close of trading on the third Friday in December. Moreover, if at any time during the year other than the ranking review, an issuer no longer meets the continued eligibility criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for continued inclusion in the Index, it is replaced with the largest market capitalization issuer not currently in the Index and meeting the initial eligibility criteria listed above.

Nasdaq may, from time to time, exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order to ensure Index integrity including but not limited to quantitative inclusion criteria. Nasdaq may also, due to special circumstances, if deemed essential, apply discretionary adjustments to ensure and maintain the quality of the index construction and calculation.

Index Calculation

The Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index. The value of the Index equals the aggregate value of the Index share weights of each of the securities included in the Index (the “Index Shares”) multiplied by each such security’s last sale price, and divided by the divisor of the Index. The divisor serves the purpose of scaling such aggregate value to a lower order of magnitude which is more desirable for reporting purposes. If trading in an index security is halted on its primary listing market, the most recent last sale price for that security is used for all index computations until trading on such market resumes. Likewise, the most recent last sale price is used if trading in a security is halted on its primary listing market before the market is open.

Index Maintenance

Changes in the price and/or Index Shares driven by corporate events, such as stock dividends, stock splits and certain spin-offs and rights issuances are adjusted on the ex-date. If the change in total shares outstanding arising from a corporate action is greater than or equal to 10%, that change will be made to the Index as soon as practicable. Otherwise, if the change in total shares outstanding is less than 10%, then all such changes are accumulated and made effective at one time on a quarterly basis after the close of trading on the third Friday in each of March, June, September and December. The Index Shares are derived from the security’s total shares outstanding. The Index Shares are adjusted by the same percentage amount by which the total shares outstanding have changed in those securities. The divisor is adjusted to ensure that changes in component securities either by corporate actions or index participation occurring outside of trading hours do not affect the value of the Index. All divisor changes occur after the close of component security markets contained in the Index.

Index Rebalancing

On a quarterly basis coinciding with Nasdaq’s quarterly scheduled Index Share adjustment procedures, the Index will be rebalanced if it is determined that: (1) the current weight of the single largest market capitalization component security is greater than 24% or (2) the “collective weight” of those component securities, the individual current weights of which are in excess of 4.5%, when added together, exceed 48% of the Index.

If either one or both of these weight distribution requirements are met upon quarterly review, or Nasdaq determines that a special rebalancing is required, a weight rebalancing will be performed. First, relating to weight distribution requirement (1) above, if the current weight of the single largest Index Share exceeds 24%, then the weights of all large stocks (those greater than 1%) will be scaled down proportionately towards 1% by a sufficient amount for the adjusted weight of the single largest Index Share to be set to 20%. Second, relating to weight distribution requirement (2) above, for those Index Shares whose individual current weights or adjusted weights in accordance with the preceding step are in excess of 4.5%, if their “collective weight” exceeds 48%, then the weights of all stocks with weights greater than 4.5% will be scaled down proportionately towards 1% for the “collective weight,” so adjusted, to be set to 40%.

On an annual basis coinciding with the annual evaluation in December, the Index will be rebalanced if it is determined that the collective weight of the five largest Index Shares by weight, when added together, exceeds 40.0% of the Index. In addition, a special rebalancing of the Index may be conducted at any time if it is determined necessary to maintain the integrity of the Index. If the weight distribution requirement is met upon the annual evaluation or it is determined that a special rebalancing is required, a weight rebalancing will be performed. If the collective weight of the five largest Index Shares by weight, when added together, exceeds 40.0% of the Index at the time of the annual evaluation, those top five Index Shares will be scaled down proportionately towards 1.0% for the collective weight, so adjusted, to be set to 38.5%. The excess weight due to capping from the five largest, capped Index Shares is redistributed to the remaining Index Shares. Thereafter, all other Index Shares are capped at 4.5% and the weight is proportionally redistributed to all Index Shares that have not yet been capped. If, after capping the top five Index Shares to reduce the aggregate weight to 38.5%, the fifth largest Index Share has a weight less than 4.5%, all remaining securities are capped at the weight of the fifth largest Index Share.

In the event of a special rebalance, either coinciding with the quarterly review or annual evaluation (or at any other point in time where necessary), prior month-end shares outstanding and prices for each Index Share are utilized to calculate the weights that require capping and the associated index shares. If a special rebalance were to occur in accordance with the quarterly scheduled index adjustment or annual evaluation, the share weights will be determined anew based upon the last sale prices and aggregate capitalization of the Index at the close of trading on the last day in February, May, August and November. Changes to the share weights will be made effective after the close of trading on the third Friday in March, June, September and December, and an adjustment to the divisor will be made to ensure continuity of the Index.

Ordinarily, new rebalanced weights will be determined by applying the above procedures to the current share weights. However, Nasdaq may from time to time determine rebalanced weights, if necessary, by instead applying the above procedure to the actual current market capitalization of the Index Shares. In those instances, Nasdaq would announce the different basis for rebalancing prior to its implementation.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-9

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the Index in the period from January 1, 2010 through November 23, 2020. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. On November 23, 2020, the closing level of the Index was 11,905.94.

Historical Performance of the Index

 

This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the Index.

License Agreement

The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq, Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, with its affiliates, are referred to as the “Corporations”). The Corporations have not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the notes. The Corporations make no representation or warranty, express or implied to the owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly, or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. The Corporations’ only relationship to HSBC (the “Licensee”) is in the licensing of the Nasdaq-100^®, NDX, and Nasdaq trademarks or service marks, and certain trade names of the Corporations and the use of the Index which is determined, composed and calculated by Nasdaq without regard to Licensee or the notes. Nasdaq has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or the owners of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. The Corporations are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the notes to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes.

THE CORPORATIONS DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR UNINTERRUPTED CALCULATION OF THE Index OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY LICENSEE, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE Index OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE Index OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CORPORATIONS HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-10

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Supplement to the Plan of Distribution

We may deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than two business days following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than two business days from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than two business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S and/or one of its affiliates acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.

MLPF&S will purchase the notes from BofAS for resale, and will receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the notes in an amount up to the full amount of underwriting discount set forth on the cover of this term sheet.

MLPF&S and BofAS may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, and these will include MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s trading commissions and mark-ups or mark-downs. MLPF&S and BofAS may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, neither is obligated to engage in any such transactions. At their discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S and BofAS may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the estimated initial value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S or BofAS for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Index, the remaining term of the notes, and the issuer’s creditworthiness. However, neither we nor any of our affiliates are obligated to purchase your notes at any price, or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the estimated initial value of the notes.

The value of the notes shown on your account statement provided by MLPF&S will be based on BofAS’s estimate of the value of the notes if BofAS or one of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. This estimate will be based upon the price that BofAS may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions, and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the estimated initial value of the notes.

The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding HSBC or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.

An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:

· the investor’s spouse (including a domestic partner), siblings, parents, grandparents, spouse’s parents, children and grandchildren, but excluding accounts held by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews or any other family relationship not directly above or below the individual investor;

· a family investment vehicle, including foundations, limited partnerships and personal holding companies, but only if the beneficial owners of the vehicle consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; and

· a trust where the grantors and/or beneficiaries of the trust consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; provided that, purchases of the notes by a trust generally cannot be aggregated together with any purchases made by a trustee’s personal account.

Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”), and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).

Please contact your Merrill financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.

Role of MLPF&S and BofAS

BofAS will participate as selling agent in the distribution of the notes. Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount.

At maturity, we are required to pay the Redemption Amount to holders of the notes, which will be calculated based on the performance of the Index and the $10 per unit principal amount. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by BofAS seeking bids from market participants, which could include one of our affiliates and MLPF&S, BofAS and their affiliates. These hedging arrangements take into account a number of

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-11

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

factors, including the issuer’s creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Index, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes depend in part on the terms of the hedging arrangements.

BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging-related charge of approximately $0.05 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to BofAS from these transactions. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by BofAS or any third party hedge providers.

For further information, see “Risk Factors—General Risks Relating to ARNs” beginning on page PS-6 and “Use of Proceeds” on page PS-20 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-12

Accelerated Return Notes^®
Linked to the Nasdaq-100^® Index, due February  , 2022

Summary Tax Consequences

You should consider the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including the following:

§	There is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the notes.
§	You agree with us (in the absence of an administrative determination, or judicial ruling to the contrary) to characterize and treat the notes for all tax purposes as pre-paid executory contracts with respect to the Index.
§	Under this characterization and tax treatment of the notes, a U.S. holder (as defined in the prospectus supplement) generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon maturity or upon a sale or exchange of the notes prior to maturity. This capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the notes for more than one year.
§	No assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with this characterization and tax treatment.
§	A “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the United States and such payments generally would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a non-U.S. holder. Under U.S. Treasury Department regulations, payments (including deemed payments) with respect to equity-linked instruments (“ELIs”) that are “specified ELIs” may be treated as dividend equivalents if such specified ELIs reference an interest in an “underlying security,” which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. However, Internal Revenue Service guidance provides that withholding on dividend equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2023. Based on our determination that the notes are not “delta-one” instruments, non-U.S. holders should not be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the notes. However, it is possible that the notes could be treated as deemed reissued for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the Index or the notes, and following such occurrence the notes could be treated as subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. holders that enter, or have entered, into other transactions in respect of the Index or the notes should consult their tax advisors as to the application of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the notes and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.
§	The discussion in the accompanying prospectus supplement under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations – Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act” is hereby modified to reflect regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Treasury indicating its intent to eliminate the requirements under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, maturity or other disposition of relevant financial instruments. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that taxpayers may rely on these proposed regulations pending their finalization.

You should consult your own tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning, and disposing of the notes, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local, foreign, or other tax jurisdiction and the possible effects of changes in U.S. federal or other tax laws. You should review carefully the discussion under the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page PS-40 of product supplement EQUITY ARN-1.

Where You Can Find More Information

We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC, for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you these documents if you so request by calling MLPF&S or BofAS toll-free at 1-800-294-1322.

“Accelerated Return Notes^®” and “ARNs^®” are registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.

Accelerated Return Notes^® TS-13