Free Writing Prospectus (Form FWP)

Subject to Completion Preliminary Term Sheet Dated September 28, 2026

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 Registration Statement No. 333-277211 (To Prospectus dated February 21, 2024, Prospectus Supplement dated February 21, 2024 and Product Supplement EQUITY LIRN-1 dated March 28, 2024)

Units $10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No.		Pricing Date* Settlement Date* Maturity Date*	October , 2026 October , 2026 October , 2028
		*Subject to change based on the actual date the notes are priced for initial sale to the public (the "pricing date")
Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket §      Maturity of approximately two years §      The Starting Value will be the lowest value of the Basket on any of the ten Starting Value Determination Dates (occurring weekly beginning on the pricing date). The final Starting Value Determination Date will be approximately two months after the pricing date §      1.5-to-1 upside exposure to increases in the Basket, subject to a capped return of [19.50% to 23.50%] §      1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Basket, with up to 100.00% of the principal amount at risk §      The Basket will be comprised of the S&P 500® Index and the Russell 2000® Index. Each Basket Component will be given an initial weight of 50.00%. §      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" and "Additional Risk Factors" beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and "Risk Factors" beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

The estimated initial value of the notes on the pricing date is expected to be between $9.20 and $9.70 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)	$   10.00	$
Underwriting discount(1)	$     0.20	$
Proceeds, before expenses, to HSBC	$     9.80	$

(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 $9.95 per unit and $0.15 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

October , 2026

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

Summary

The Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes^® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028 (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 (as determined below) of the Market Measure, which is the domestic equity index basket described below (the "Basket"), is greater than the Starting Value (determined as described below). If the Ending Value is equal to the Starting Value, you will receive the principal amount of your notes. 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 Basket, subject to our credit risk. See "Terms of the Notes" below.

The Basket will be comprised of the S&P 500^® Index and the Russell 2000^® Index (each a "Basket Component"). On the pricing date, each Basket Component will be given an initial weight of 50.00%.

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

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

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 LIRN-1 dated March 28, 2024: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000110465924040346/tm249697d81_424b5.htm

§

Prospectus supplement dated February 21, 2024: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000110465924025878/tm244959d1_424b2.htm

§

Prospectus dated February 21, 2024: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/83246/000110465924025864/tm244959d13_424b3.htm

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 LIRN-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.

To the extent the determination of the Redemption Amount and other terms described in this term sheet are inconsistent with those described in the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus, the determination of the Redemption Amount and other terms described in this term sheet shall control.

Investor Considerations

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

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

Hypothetical Payout Profile

The graph below is based on hypothetical numbers and values.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes®

This graph reflects the returns on the notes, based on the Participation Rate of 150%, the Threshold Value of 100% of the Starting Value and a Capped Value of $12.15 per unit (the midpoint of the Capped Value range of [$11.95 to $12.35]). 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 Basket Components, 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, Threshold Value, Capped Value, Ending Value, and term of your investment.

The following table is based on a Starting Value of 100.00, a Threshold Value of 100.00, the Participation Rate of 150% and a Capped Value of $12.15 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%
95.00	-5.00%	$9.50	-5.00%
97.00	-3.00%	$9.70	-3.00%
100.00(1)(2)	0.00%	$10.00	0.00%
102.00	2.00%	$10.30	3.00%
105.00	5.00%	$10.75	7.50%
114.34	14.34%	$12.15(3)	21.50%
120.00	20.00%	$12.15	21.50%
150.00	50.00%	$12.15	21.50%
200.00	100.00%	$12.15	21.50%

	(1)	This is the hypothetical Threshold Value.
	(2)	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 Basket. The actual Starting Value will be determined after the final Starting Value Determination Date.
	(3)	The Redemption Amount per unit cannot exceed the hypothetical Capped Value.

For recent hypothetical values of the Basket, see "The Basket" section below. For recent actual levels of the Basket Components, see "The Basket Components" section below. Each Basket Component 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 any Basket Component, 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.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

Redemption Amount Calculation Examples

Example 1
The Ending Value is 50.00, or 50.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:	100.00
Threshold Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	50.00

= $5.00 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 2
The Ending Value is 102.00, or 102.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	102.00

= $10.30 Redemption Amount per unit

Example 3
The Ending Value is 150.00, or 150.00% of the Starting Value:
Starting Value:	100.00
Ending Value:	150.00

= $17.50, however, because the Redemption Amount for the notes cannot exceed the Capped Value, the Redemption Amount will be $12.15 per unit

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

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 Basket Components. 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 Basket 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 Basket Components.

§

Changes in the level of one Basket Component may be offset by changes in the level of the other Basket Component.

§

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 is expected to 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-17 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 value of the Basket 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 Basket Components), 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.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

Market Measure-related Risks

§

An index sponsor may adjust the relevant Basket Component in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests.

§

As a noteholder, you will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Basket Components, and you will not be entitled to receive securities, 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 any Basket Component, except to the extent that the common stock of Bank of America Corporation (the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS) is included in the S&P 500® Index, we, MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates do not control any company included in any Basket Component, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company.

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-37 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

Additional Risk Factors

The Starting Value will be determined after the pricing date of the notes. The Starting Value of the Basket will be the lowest value of the Basket on any of the ten Starting Value Determination Dates (occurring weekly beginning on the pricing date, as set forth above). The final Starting Value Determination Date will be approximately two months after the pricing date for the notes. As a result, the Starting Value will not be determined, and neither you nor we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates can be certain of what the Starting Value will be, until after the pricing date and the settlement date of the notes.

The notes are subject to risks associated with small-size capitalization companies. The stocks composing the Russell 2000® Index are issued by companies with small-sized market capitalization. The stock prices of small-size companies may be more volatile than stock prices of large capitalization companies. Small-size capitalization companies may be less able to withstand adverse economic, market, trade and competitive conditions relative to larger companies. Small-size capitalization companies may also be more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products or services.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

The Basket

The Basket is designed to allow investors to participate in the percentage changes in the value of the Basket from the Starting Value to the Ending Value. The Basket Components are described in the section "The Basket Components" below. Each Basket Component will be assigned an initial weight on the pricing date, as set forth in the table below.

For more information on the calculation of the value of the Basket, please see the section entitled "Description of LIRNs-Basket Market Measures" beginning on page PS-31 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

If September 21, 2026 were the pricing date, for each Basket Component, the Initial Component Weight, the closing level, the hypothetical Component Ratio and the initial contribution to the Basket value would be as follows:

Basket Component		Bloomberg Symbol		Initial Component Weight		Closing Level(1)(2)		Hypothetical Component Ratio(1)(3)		Initial Basket Value Contribution
The S&P 500® Index		SPX		50.00%		7,764.70		0.00643940		50.00
The Russell 2000® Index		RTY		50.00%		2,875.360		0.01738913		50.00
								Value of the Basket on the pricing date		100.00

(1)

The actual closing level of each Basket Component and the resulting actual Component Ratios will be determined on the pricing date, subject to adjustment as more fully described in the section entitled "Description of LIRNs-Basket Market Measures-Determination of the Component Ratio for Each Basket Component" beginning on page PS-32 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1 if a Market Disruption Event occurs on the pricing date as to any Basket Component or if the pricing date is determined by the calculation agents not to be a Market Measure Business Day as to any Basket Component by reason of an extraordinary event, occurrence, declaration or otherwise.

(2)

These were the closing levels of the Basket Components on September 21, 2026.

(3)

Each hypothetical Component Ratio equals the Initial Component Weight of the relevant Basket Component (as a percentage) multiplied by 100, and then divided by the closing level of that Basket Component on September 21, 2026 and rounded to eight decimal places. The actual Component Ratio for each Basket Component will be determined on the pricing date and will equal the Initial Component Weight of the relevant Basket Component (as a percentage) multiplied by 100, and then divided by the closing level of that Basket Component on the pricing date and rounded to eight decimal places. For the avoidance of doubt, the Component Ratio for each Basket Component will not change subsequent to the pricing date even though the Starting Value of the Basket will not be determined until after the pricing date.

Starting Value of the Basket

The value of the Basket will be set to 100.00 on the pricing date. The Starting Value will be the lowest value of the Basket on any of the ten Starting Value Determination Dates (occurring weekly beginning on the pricing date, as set forth above).

On each Starting Value Determination Date, the calculation agents will calculate the value of the Basket on such day by summing the products of (a) the closing level for each Basket Component on such day and (b) the Component Ratio for such Basket Component.

If any scheduled Starting Value Determination Date is not a Market Measure Business Day or a Market Disruption Event occurs on that day with respect to a Basket Component, the closing level of that Basket Component as of that Starting Value Determination Date will be its closing level on the immediately succeeding Market Measure Business Day during which no Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing with respect to that Basket Component; provided that the closing level of that Basket Component as of that Starting Value Determination Date will not be determined on a date later than the fifth scheduled Market Measure Business Day following that scheduled Starting Value Determination Date, and if that fifth day is not a Market Measure Business Day, or if there is a Market Disruption Event on that date with respect to that Basket Component, the calculation agents will determine (or, if not determinable, estimate) the closing level of that Basket Component as of that Starting Value Determination Date in a manner which the calculation agents consider commercially reasonable under the circumstances on that fifth scheduled Market Measure Business Day. For the avoidance of doubt, the determination of a non-Market Measure Business Day or a Market Disruption Event and the postponement of the determination of the closing level of one Basket Component with respect to a scheduled Starting Value Determination Date will not affect such determinations with respect to the other Basket Component. Accordingly, the value of the Basket as of a Starting Value Determination Date may be calculated by using closing levels of the Basket Components as of different dates.

Ending Value of the Basket

The Ending Value will be the value of the Basket on the Final Valuation Date. The calculation agents will calculate the value of the Basket on the Final Valuation Date by summing the products of (a) the closing level for each Basket Component on such day and (b) the Component Ratio for such Basket Component.

If the scheduled Final Valuation Date is determined by the calculation agents not to be a Market Measure Business Day as to any Basket Component by reason of an extraordinary event, occurrence, declaration or otherwise or a Market Disruption Event occurs on that day with respect to a Basket Component, the closing level of that Basket Component as of that day will be its closing level on the

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

immediately succeeding Market Measure Business Day during which no Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing with respect to that Basket Component; provided that the closing level of that Basket Component as of the Final Valuation Date will not be determined on a date later than the fifth scheduled Market Measure Business Day following the scheduled Final Valuation Date, and if that fifth day is not a Market Measure Business Day, or if there is a Market Disruption Event on that day with respect to that Basket Component, the calculation agents will determine (or, if not determinable, estimate) the closing level of that Basket Component as of the Final Valuation Date in a manner which the calculation agents consider commercially reasonable under the circumstances on that fifth scheduled Market Measure Business Day. For the avoidance of doubt, the determination of a non-Market Measure Business Day or a Market Disruption Event and the postponement of the determination of the closing level of one Basket Component with respect to the scheduled Final Valuation Date will not affect such determinations with respect to the other Basket Component. Accordingly, the Ending Value may be calculated by using closing levels of the Basket Components as of different dates.

While actual historical information on the Basket will not exist before the pricing date, the following graph sets forth the hypothetical historical daily performance of the Basket from January 1, 2016 through September 21, 2026. The graph is based upon actual daily historical levels of the Basket Components, hypothetical Component Ratios based on the closing levels of the Basket Components as of December 31, 2015, and a Basket value of 100.00 as of that date. This hypothetical historical data on the Basket is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Basket or what the value of the notes may be. Any hypothetical historical upward or downward trend in the value of the Basket during any period set forth below is not an indication that the value of the Basket is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.

Hypothetical Historical Performance of the Basket

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

The Basket Components

All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Basket Components, including, without limitation, their make-up, method of calculation, and changes in their components, have been derived from publicly available sources. The information reflects the policies of and is subject to change by each of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("S&P") with respect to the S&P 500^® Index (the "SPX") and FTSE Russell ("FTSE") with respect to the Russell 2000^® Index (the "RTY") (S&P and FTSE together, the "index sponsors"). The index sponsors have no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue or suspend the publication of any Basket Component at any time. The consequences of any index sponsor discontinuing publication of a Basket Component are discussed in the section entitled "Description of LIRNs-Discontinuance of an Index" beginning on page PS-26 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1. None of us, the calculation agents, MLPF&S or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of any Basket Component or any successor index.

The S&P 500^® Index

General

The SPX was first launched on March 4, 1957 based on an initial value of 10 from 1941-1943, and it is sponsored by S&P. The SPX includes a representative sample of 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The 500 companies are not the 500 largest companies listed on the NYSE and not all 500 companies are listed on the NYSE. S&P chooses companies for inclusion in the SPX with an aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of the U.S. equity market. Although the SPX contains 500 constituent companies, at any one time it may contain greater than 500 constituent trading lines since some companies included in the SPX prior to July 31, 2017 may be represented by multiple share class lines in the SPX. The SPX is calculated, maintained and published by S&P and is part of the S&P Dow Jones Indices family of indices. Additional information is available on the following websites: spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500 and spglobal.com.

S&P intends for the SPX to provide a performance benchmark for the large-cap U.S. domiciled equity markets. Constituent changes are made on an as-needed basis and there is no schedule for constituent reviews. SPX additions and deletions are announced with at least three business days advance notice. Less than three business days' notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee. Relevant criteria for additions to the SPX that are employed by S&P include: the company proposed for addition should have an unadjusted company market capitalization of $20.50 billion or more and a security level float-adjusted market capitalization of at least 50% of such threshold (for spin-offs, eligibility is determined using when-issued prices, if available); the float-adjusted liquidity ratio of annual dollar value traded divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization) should be greater than or equal to 0.75 at the time of the addition to the SPX and the stock should trade a minimum of 250,000 shares in each of the six months leading up to the evaluation date (current constituents have no minimum requirement), where the annual dollar value traded is calculated as the average closing price multiplied by the historical volume over the 365 calendar days prior to the evaluation date (reduced to the available trading period for IPOs or spinoffs that do not have 365 calendar days of trading history); the company must be a U.S. company (characterized as a Form 10-K filer with its U.S. portion of fixed assets and revenues constituting a plurality of the total and with a primary listing of the common stock on the NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA or Cboe EDGX (each, an "eligible exchange")); the proposed constituent has an investable weight factor ("IWF") of 10% or more; the inclusion of the company will contribute to sector balance in the SPX relative to sector balance in the market in the relevant market capitalization range; financial viability (the sum of the most recent four consecutive quarters' Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) earnings (net income excluding discontinued operations) should be positive as should the most recent quarter); and, for IPOs, the company must be traded on an eligible exchange for at least twelve months (for former SPACs, S&P considers the de-SPAC transaction to be an event equivalent to an IPO, and 12 months of trading post the de-SPAC event are required before a former SPAC can be considered for inclusion in the SPX; spin-offs or in-specie distributions from existing constituents do not need to be traded on an eligible exchange for twelve months prior to their inclusion in the SPX). In addition, constituents of the S&P MidCap 400^® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index can be added to the SPX provided they meet the unadjusted company level market capitalization eligibility criteria for the SPX. Migrations from the S&P MidCap 400^® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index do not need to meet the financial viability, liquidity, or 50% of the SPX's unadjusted company level minimum market capitalization threshold criteria. Further, constituents of the S&P Total Market Index Ex S&P Composite 1500 (which includes all eligible U.S. common equities except for those included in the SPX, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index) that acquire a constituent of the SPX, the S&P MidCap 400^® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600^® Index that do not fully meet the financial viability or IWF criteria may still be added to the SPX at the discretion of the Index Committee if the Index Committee determines that the addition could minimize turnover and enhance the representativeness of the SPX as a market benchmark. Certain types of organizational structures and securities are always excluded, including, but not limited to, business development companies (BDCs), limited partnerships, master limited partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), OTC bulletin board issues, closed-end funds, ETFs, ETNs, royalty trusts, tracking stocks, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), preferred stock and convertible preferred stock, unit trusts, equity warrants, convertible bonds, investment trusts, rights and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Stocks are deleted from the SPX when they are involved in mergers, acquisitions or significant restructurings such that they no longer meet the inclusion criteria, and when they substantially violate one or more of the addition criteria. Stocks that are delisted or moved to the pink sheets or the bulletin board are removed, and those that experience a trading halt may be retained or removed in S&P's discretion. S&P evaluates additions and deletions with a view to maintaining index continuity.

For constituents included in the SPX prior to July 31, 2017, all publicly listed multiple share class lines are included separately in the SPX, subject to, in the case of any such share class line, that share class line satisfying the liquidity and float criteria discussed above

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

and subject to certain exceptions. It is possible that one listed share class line of a company may be included in the SPX while a second listed share class line of the same company is excluded. For companies that issue a second publicly traded share class to index share class holders, the newly issued share class line is considered for inclusion if the event is mandatory and the market capitalization of the distributed class is not considered to be de minimis.

As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the SPX. Only common shares are considered when determining whether a company has a multiple share class structure. Constituents of the SPX prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the SPX. If an index constituent reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will be reviewed for continued inclusion in the SPX at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee.

Index Calculation

The SPX is calculated using a base-weighted aggregative methodology. This discussion describes the "price return" calculation of the SPX. The applicable pricing supplement will describe the calculation if the underlier for your securities is not the price return calculation. The value of the SPX on any day for which an index value is published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate of the market price of each stock in the SPX times the number of shares of such stock included in the SPX, and the denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below. The "market value" of any index stock is the product of the market price per share of that stock times the number of the then-outstanding shares of such index stock that are then included in the SPX.

The SPX is also sometimes called a "base-weighted aggregative index" because of its use of a divisor. The "divisor" is a value calculated by S&P that is intended to maintain conformity in index values over time and is adjusted for all changes in the index stocks' share capital after the "base date" as described below. The level of the SPX reflects the total market value of all index stocks relative to the index's base period of 1941-1943.

In addition, the SPX is float-adjusted, meaning that the share counts used in calculating the SPX reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company's outstanding shares. S&P seeks to exclude shares held by long-term, strategic shareholders concerned with the control of a company, a group that generally includes the following: officers and directors and related individuals whose holdings are publicly disclosed, private equity, venture capital, special equity firms, asset managers and insurance companies with board of director representation, publicly traded companies that hold shares in another company, holders of restricted shares (except for shares held as part of a lock-up agreement), company-sponsored employee share plans/trusts, defined contribution plans/savings, investment plans, foundations or family trusts associated with the company, government entities at all levels (except government retirement or pension funds), sovereign wealth funds and any individual person listed as a 5% or greater stakeholder in a company as reported in regulatory filings (collectively, "strategic holders"). To this end, S&P excludes all share-holdings (other than depositary banks, pension funds (including government pension and retirement funds), mutual funds, exchange traded fund providers, investment funds, asset managers (including hedge funds with no board of director representation), investment funds of insurance companies and independent foundations not associated with the company) with a position greater than 5% of the outstanding shares of a company from the float-adjusted share count to be used in index calculations.

The exclusion is accomplished by calculating an IWF for each stock that is part of the numerator of the float-adjusted index fraction described above:

IWF = (available float shares)/(total shares outstanding)

where available float shares is defined as total shares outstanding less shares held by strategic holders. In most cases, an IWF is reported to the nearest one percentage point. For companies with multiple share class lines, a separate IWF is calculated for each share class line.

Index Maintenance

In order to keep the SPX comparable over time S&P engages in an index maintenance process. The index maintenance process involves changing the constituents as discussed above, and also involves maintaining quality assurance processes and procedures, adjusting the number of shares used to calculate the SPX, monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, adjusting for stock splits and stock dividends and adjusting for other corporate actions. In addition to its daily governance of indices and maintenance of the index methodology, at least once within any 12 month period, the S&P Index Committee reviews the index methodology to ensure the index continues to achieve the stated objective, and that the data and methodology remain effective. The S&P Index Committee may at times consult with investors, market participants, security issuers included in or potentially included in the SPX, or investment and financial experts.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the SPX in the period from January 1, 2016 through September 21, 2026. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg. On September 21, 2026, the closing level of the SPX was 7,764.70.

Historical Performance of the SPX

This historical data on the SPX is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the SPX or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the SPX during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the SPX 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 SPX.

License Agreement

HSBC has entered into a nonexclusive license agreement providing for the license to it, in exchange for a fee, of the right to use indices owned and published by S&P in connection with some products, including the notes.

Standard & Poor's^® and S&P^® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("Standard & Poor's"); Dow Jones^® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P. "Standard & Poor's^®," "S&P 500^®" and "S&P^®" are trademarks of Standard & Poor's and have been licensed for use by S&P and its affiliates and sublicensed for certain purposes by HSBC. The SPX is a product of S&P, and has been licensed for use by HSBC.

The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor's or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, "S&P Dow Jones Indices"). S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the holders 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 SPX to track general market performance. S&P's only relationship to HSBC is the licensing of the SPX and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P. The SPX is determined, composed and calculated by S&P without regard to HSBC or the notes. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of HSBC or the holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the SPX. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the SPX will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within the SPX is not a recommendation by S&P to buy, sell or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.

S&P DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE SPX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY HSBC, HOLDERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE SPX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL,

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P AND HSBC, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P.

The Russell 2000^® Index

FTSE Russell Publishes the RTY

The RTY is calculated, published, and disseminated by FTSE Russell, and measures the composite price performance of stocks of 2,000 companies determined by FTSE Russell to be part of the U.S. equity market. All 2,000 stocks are traded on a major U.S. exchange, and form a part of the Russell 3000^® Index. The Russell 3000^® Index is composed of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies as determined by market capitalization.

The RTY consists of the smallest 2,000 companies, by market capitalization, included in the Russell 3000^® Index. The RTY is designed to track the performance of the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. The inception date of the RTY is January 1, 1984. Members of the RTY are determined each year during annual reconstitution and enhanced quarterly with the addition of initial public offerings ("IPOs"). The RTY is a subset of the Russell U.S. indices.

Defining Eligible Securities

All companies that are determined to be part of the U.S. equity market under FTSE Russell's country-assignment methodology are included in the Russell U.S. indices. If a company is incorporated in, has a stated headquarters location in, and also trades in the same country (American Depositary Receipts and American Depositary Shares are not eligible), the company is assigned to the equity market of its country of incorporation. If any of the three do not match, FTSE Russell then defines three Home Country Indicators ("HCI"): country of incorporation, country of headquarters, and country of the most liquid exchange as defined by two-year average daily dollar trading volume from all exchanges within a country. Using the HCIs, FTSE Russell cross-compares the primary location of the company's assets with the three HCIs. If the primary location of the company's assets matches any of the HCIs, then the company is assigned to its primary asset location. If there is insufficient information to determine the country in which the company's assets are primarily located, FTSE Russell will use the primary location of the company's revenues for the same cross-comparison and will assign the company to the appropriate country in a similar fashion. FTSE Russell uses an average of two years of assets or revenue data for analysis to reduce potential turnover. If conclusive country details cannot be derived from assets or revenue, FTSE Russell assigns the company to the country where its headquarters are located unless the country is a Benefit Driven Incorporation ("BDI") country; in which case, the company will be assigned to the country of its most liquid stock exchange. FTSE Russell lists the following countries as BDIs: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos Islands. For any companies incorporated or headquartered in a U.S. territory, including countries such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. HCI is assigned. If a company is designated as a Chinese "N Share," it will not be considered for inclusion within the RTY. An "N Share" is issued by a company that is incorporated outside of mainland China and trades on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq exchange or the NYSE American. An N Share company has its headquarters or establishment in mainland China, with a majority of its revenues or assets derived from the People's Republic of China.

All securities eligible for inclusion in the RTY must trade on an eligible U.S. exchange. The eligible U.S. exchanges are: CBOE, NYSE, NYSE American, Nasdaq and ARCA. Bulletin board, pink-sheets, and over-the-counter ("OTC") traded securities are not eligible for inclusion, including securities for which prices are displayed on the FINRA ADF.

Preferred and convertible preferred stock, redeemable shares, participating preferred stock, warrants, rights, installment receipts and trust receipts are not eligible for inclusion in the RTY. Royalty trusts, U.S. limited liability companies, closed-end investment companies, blank check companies, special-purpose acquisition companies, and limited partnerships are also not eligible for inclusion in the RTY. BDCs, exchange traded funds and mutual funds are also excluded.

If an eligible company trades multiple share classes, FTSE Russell will review each share class independently for U.S. index inclusion. Stocks must trade at or above $1.00 (on its primary exchange) on the rank day in May of each year to be eligible for inclusion during annual reconstitution. However, in order to reduce unnecessary turnover, if an existing index member's closing price is less than $1.00 on rank day, it will be considered eligible if the average of the daily closing prices (from its primary exchange) during the 30 days prior to the rank date is equal to or greater than $1.00. If an existing index member does not trade on the rank day in May, it must price at $1.00 or above on another eligible U.S. exchange to remain eligible. An initial public offering added during the quarterly IPO process is considered a new index addition and therefore must have a closing price on its primary exchange at or above $1.00 on the last day of the IPO eligibility period in order to qualify for index inclusion. Companies with a total market capitalization of less than $30 million are not eligible for inclusion in the RTY. Similarly, companies with only 5% or less of their shares available in the marketplace are not eligible for the RTY.

Annual Reconstitution

Annual reconstitution is the process by which the RTY is completely rebuilt. Reconstitution is a vital part of the creation of a benchmark which accurately represents a particular market segment. Companies may get bigger or smaller over time, or periodically undergo changes in their style characteristics. Reconstitution ensures that the companies continue to be correctly represented in the RTY.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

On the rank day in May of each year, all eligible securities are ranked by their total market capitalization. Total market capitalization is determined by multiplying total outstanding shares by the last price traded on the primary exchange on the rank day in May. All share classes for a company, including unlisted shares, are aggregated and considered total shares outstanding.

Reconstitution occurs on the fourth Friday in June. A full calendar for reconstitution is published each spring.

Eligible IPOs are added to the RTY quarterly to ensure that new additions to the institutional investing opportunity set are reflected in the representative indices. FTSE Russell focuses on IPOs each quarter because it is important to reflect market additions between reconstitution periods. Companies filing an initial public offering registration statement (or the local equivalent when outside the United States) and listing with the same quarter on an eligible U.S. exchange are reviewed for eligibility regardless of previous trading activity (exceptional or unique events may induce extraordinary treatment which will be communicated appropriately); a one month window is used to ensure that companies submitting the requisite filings just outside of the quarter are not excluded from eligibility. Companies currently trading on foreign exchanges or OTC markets will be reviewed for eligibility if: (1) the company files an initial public offering statement for an eligible U.S. exchange; (2) the offering is announced to the market and confirmed by FTSE Russell's vendors as an IPO; and (3) the security is not currently a member of the Russell Global Index (eligibility and country assignment are reviewed at reconstitution).

Capitalization Adjustments

After membership is determined, a security's shares are adjusted to include only those shares available to the public, which is often referred to as "free float." The purpose of this adjustment is to exclude from market calculations the capitalization that is not available for purchase and is not part of the investable opportunity set. Stocks are weighted in the RTY by their available (also called "float-adjusted") market capitalization, which is calculated by multiplying the primary closing price by the available shares. Adjustments to shares are reviewed at reconstitution, during quarterly update cycles and for corporate actions such as mergers.

Certain types of shares are considered restricted and removed from total market capitalization to arrive at free float or available market capitalization, such as shares directly owned by State, Regional, Municipal and Local governments (excluding shares held by independently managed pension schemes for governments), shares held by directors, senior executives and managers of the company, and by their family and direct relations, and by companies with which they are affiliated, and shares with high shareholding concentration, etc.

Corporate Action-Driven Changes

FTSE Russell adjusts the RTY on a daily basis in response to certain corporate actions and events, both to reflect the evolution of securities and to ensure that the indexes remain highly representative of the U.S. equity market. A company's membership and its weight in the RTY can be impacted by these corporate actions. FTSE Russell uses a variety of reliable public sources to determine when an action is final, including a company's press releases and regulatory filings; local exchange notifications; and official updates from other data providers FTSE Russell deems trustworthy. Prior to the completion of a corporate action or event, FTSE Russell estimates the effective date. FTSE Russell will then adjust the anticipated effective date based on public information until the date is considered final.

Depending upon the time an action is determined to be final, FTSE Russell will either (1) apply the action before the open on the ex-date, or (2) apply the action providing appropriate notice, referred to as a "delayed action." If FTSE Russell has confirmed the completion of a corporate action, scheduled to become effective subsequent to a rebalance, the event may be implemented in conjunction with the rebalance to limit turnover, provided appropriate notice can be given.

For merger and spin-off transactions that are effective between rank day in May and the business day immediately before the index lock down takes effect prior to annual reconstitution in June, the market capitalizations of the impacted securities are recalculated and membership is reevaluated as of the effective date of the corporate action. For corporate events that occur during the reconstitution lock down period (which take effect from the open on the first day of the lock down period onwards), market capitalizations and memberships will not be reevaluated. Non index members that have been considered ineligible as of rank day will not be reevaluated in the event of a subsequent corporate action that occurs between rank day and the reconstitution effective date.

If a company distributes shares of an additional share class to its existing shareholders through a mandatory corporate action, FTSE Russell evaluates the additional share class for separate index membership. The new share class will be deemed eligible if the market capitalization of the distributed shares meets minimum size requirement (above the minimum market capitalization breakpoint defined as the smallest member of the Russell 3000E Index from previous rebalance, adjusted for performance to date.) Index membership of additional share classes that are added due to corporate actions will mirror that of the pricing vehicle, as will style and stability probabilities. If the distributed shares of an additional share class do not meet eligibility requirements, they will not be added to the index (the distributed shares may be added to the index temporarily until they are settled and listed to enable index replication).

"No Replacement" Rule: Securities that leave the RTY for any reason (e.g., mergers, acquisitions or other similar corporate activity) are not replaced. Thus, the number of securities in the RTY over the year will fluctuate according to corporate activity.

To maintain representativeness and maximize the available investment opportunity for index managers, the RTY is reviewed quarterly for updates to shares outstanding and to free floats used within the index calculation. The changes are implemented quarterly, on the third Friday of the month (after the close) in March, September, and December. The June reconstitution will continue to be implemented on the last Friday of June (unless the last Friday occurs on the 29th or 30th, when reconstitution will occur on the Friday prior).

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the RTY in the period from January 1, 2016 through September 21, 2026. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg. On September 21, 2026, the closing level of the RTY was 2,875.360.

Historical Performance of the RTY

This historical data on the RTY is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the RTY or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the RTY during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the RTY 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 RTY.

License Agreement

"Russell 2000^®" and "Russell 3000^®" are trademarks of FTSE Russell and have been licensed for use by us. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by FTSE Russell. FTSE Russell makes 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 RTY to track general stock market performance or a segment of the same. FTSE Russell's publication of the RTY in no way suggests or implies an opinion by FTSE Russell as to the advisability of investment in any or all of the securities upon which the RTY is based. FTSE Russell's only relationship to HSBC is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of FTSE Russell and of the RTY which is determined, composed and calculated by FTSE Russell without regard to the HSBC or the notes. FTSE Russell is not responsible for and has not reviewed the notes nor any associated literature or publications and FTSE Russell makes no representation or warranty express or implied as to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. FTSE Russell reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter, amend, terminate or in any way change the RTY. FTSE Russell has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes:

FTSE RUSSELL DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND FTSE RUSSELL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY HSBC, INVESTORS, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE RTY OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL FTSE RUSSELL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

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 one business day 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 one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the initial settlement of the notes occurs more than one business day from the pricing date, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day 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 Basket, 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 Basket 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 factors, including the issuer's creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Basket Components, the tenor of the notes

Capped Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to a Domestic Equity Index Basket, due October , 2028

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" beginning on page PS-7 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-1.

Summary Tax Consequences

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

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There is no statutory, judicial, or administrative authority directly addressing the characterization of the notes.

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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 Basket.

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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.

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No assurance can be given that the IRS or any court will agree with this characterization and tax treatment.

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Under current IRS guidance, withholding on "dividend equivalent" payments (as discussed in the product supplement), if any, should not apply to the notes unless the notes are "delta-one" instruments. Based on our determination that the notes are not delta-one instruments, non-U.S. holders (as defined in the prospectus supplement) should not generally be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the notes.

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-37 of product supplement EQUITY LIRN-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.

"Leveraged Index Return Notes^®" and "LIRNs^®" are registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.