Digital banks in Asia Pacific witnessed improving overall profitability in FY2019. Although some digital banks’ net profit in FY2020 has been affected by COVID-19 pandemic, their growth outlook remains optimistic.
Digital banks in Asia Pacific witnessed improving overall profitability in FY2019. Although some digital banks’ net profit in FY2020 has been affected by COVID-19 pandemic, their growth outlook remains optimistic.
Retail banking sector has been the main growth driver for Indian banking sector during the past few years, as banks’ exposure to corporate banking sector has been reduced due to bad loans problems. Their retail lending has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.2% over the FY2013 to FY2018 period, making India's retail banking one of the biggest among emerging markets.
The Top 100 banks in consumer banking in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa is the result of The Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme, the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent audit programme for consumer banking.
The global financial industry has evolved as a result of the widespread digital transformation of traditional banks and the entrance of new digital banks. In the Middle East, the legal framework is slowly developing, which will open up the market to more digital banks.
A year after Hong Kong issued eight digital banking licences, Mox and ZA Bank have emerged as the early leaders. Together with WeLab, the three banks account for 86% of all virtual banking deposit in Hong Kong.
The most competitive digital retail financial institutions come all but from China, and the elite club of the top 10, representing all non-bank financial players, are exclusively from China, Korea and Australia
Wide discontent with conventional banks have led to the emergence of mobile-only fintech banks. However, these challenger banks are struggling to expand their customer reach, putting doubts whether they can stand against bigger traditional banks.
Innovations emerging from East and West African banking hubs are enabling the sector to take a lead in reaching Africa’s unbanked population but much remains to be done.
Formal financial institutions have connected only 22% of the Indonesian population. A huge potential for the financial sector still needs to be explored, and digitised lending, which combines retail banking with financial technology, should be a future solution.
Despite considerable variations within the Middle East and Africa, the banking sector as a whole achieved good financial performance in 2014
Indian banks still dominate the list of the top 10 banks with the highest nonperforming loan (NPL)ratio among the 500 largest banks in Asia Pacific, despite the improved asset quality. In addition, the list also includes two banks from Bangladesh and one each from China, Japan, and Pakistan.
Al Rajhi Bank retained the top spot in the rankings of the largest and the strongest Islamic banks in the world. Malaysia had the most Islamic banks on the list, while Saudi Arabia held the largest share of total assets
Brian Lo is a seasoned risk professional with nearly 30 years of experience across global financial institutions. Based in Hong Kong and Singapore, he has led teams in managing market and liquidity risk, counterparty risk, and asset and liability management. His expertise encompasses quantitative modelling, risk governance, stress testing, and regulatory compliance. Brian has also played a critical role in developing internal risk models, driving strategic initiatives, and advising on cutting-edge risk solutions, including AI and machine learning applications. Throughout his career, he has served on multiple risk committees, providing strategic insights to senior management and boards, and has been instrumental in implementing Basel reforms and risk management innovations. Brian’s approach integrates deep technical knowledge with practical leadership, making him a valuable contributor to banking risk management education and practice.
Urs Bolt is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of expertise in wealth management, investment banking, and technology. He helps individuals achieve financial well-being and advises senior leaders in financial services and technology on refining business strategies, developing markets, and forging impactful partnerships. Recognised as a global thought leader in digital banking, WealthTech, and decentralised finance, Urs is an active speaker, author, and jury member for esteemed awards and panels. A passionate advocate for sustainable progress, he champions energy policies that balance economic growth and ecological preservation through scientific solutions.
Sina is Chief Data Officer at Unique AG – a rising European startup providing a GenAI-driven platform called Unique.AI to better understand customers and build more meaningful client relationships. Unique.AI is a tailored solution for the financial industry that aims to increase productivity by automating manual workload through AI and ChatGPT solutions.
Sina is a proven GenAI and data transformation specialist for financial applications with over 20 years of experience. Before Unique AG, Sina led data strategy projects at Credit Suisse AG and worked as a consultant at Accenture AG. She lectures on GenAI, AI Governance, and Data Protection at top universities like HSG St. Gallen and HEC Paris, inspiring future tech leaders. Sina also mentors startups on GenAI applications and serves on the ISO expert council in Switzerland. She was recently honored with the “Women in Banking and Fintech 2024” award for her Thought Leadership on Data Protection and AI Governance for GenAI applications for Financial Services by Handelsblatt (#1 business newspaper in Germany). Sina holds a PhD in Financial Modeling from the University of St. Gallen (HSG, Switzerland) and a Diploma in Economics from the University of Mannheim (Germany).
John Januszczak is a seasoned fintech leader and the President & CEO of UBX Philippines, the fintech venture studio and fund of Union Bank of the Philippines. He was appointed to this role after joining UnionBank as a Consultant in 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Manulife Philippines and held leadership roles such as Head of Global Business Process Management at Manulife Financial and Vice President of Product Management at Meta Software Corporation. His extensive experience in operations, technology, and financial services has positioned him as a key driver of digital transformation in the fintech space.
Under John’s leadership, UBX has grown into Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech, building a robust ecosystem that helps startups and fintech founders access expertise, funding, and customers. He has spearheaded the incubation of award-winning ventures such as i2i, SeekCap, and BUX, while also managing a corporate venture fund that successfully invests in and scales fintech startups. By leveraging corporate ecosystems, open finance, and embedded finance, John continues to drive financial inclusion, innovation, and strategic growth in the Philippine fintech landscape.
Jonny Fry led initiatives around blockchain and digital assets within the regulated banking environment at ClearBank. With over three decades of experience in financial services, Jonny is widely recognised as a thought leader in digital innovation. He is currently the CEO of TeamBlockchain, Chairman of Gemini Capital UK, and author of Digital Bytes, a weekly publication analysing blockchain developments. At ClearBank, he focused on integrating digital asset strategies to support institutional-grade infrastructure for next-generation financial services. In 2022, he was named CryptoAM’s “Influencer of the Year.”.
David Parsons is an accomplished technology executive with over 25 years of experience leading digital financial infrastructure initiatives across the US and Europe. As Chief Technology Officer at NiftyOne, he drives innovation, technology strategy, and platform development. His expertise spans go-to-market strategies, business development, and regulatory frameworks, underpinned by a strong track record of working with global technology providers, hardware manufacturers, and software developers. David’s strategic vision and hands-on leadership have consistently enabled the successful deployment of scalable, secure, and compliant digital solutions in the financial sector.
Helen Child is the Founder and CEO of Open Banking Excellence (OBE), the world’s leading community of Open Banking and Open Finance pioneers. With a legacy of innovation rooted in her family’s 400-year history in banking, Helen’s journey includes founding the UK’s first e-Money Licence Issuer to be awarded licences by Mastercard and Visa. She has played a pivotal role in the development of the UK’s Open Banking ecosystem and has become a global ambassador for the movement, advising governments and regulators in emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia.