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.
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.
State enterprises form one of the largest customer segments of Krung Thai Bank. But this does not confine the bank, as it enters the nongovernment retail deposit market driven by a mix of competitive pricing and products, process innovation, and a strong branch network.
UnionBank topped the 2023 BankQuality™ Survey in the Philippines as the Most Recommended Retail Bank, achieving a score of 67%, tying with Metrobank but with varying margins across key categories
Thirty-seven banks held assets surpassing $1 trillion, distributed among 16 in Asia Pacific, 13 in Europe, and eight in North America, representing 51% of the top 1000 banks’ total assets; overall asset growth has decelerated, with the US and some European nations experiencing steep declines and countries like Egypt demonstrating resilience
Al Rajhi Bank in Saudi Arabia remains the leading global Islamic bank, with Middle Eastern counterparts surpassing Asian ones in scale and profitability, while Asian Islamic banks exhibit stronger asset quality
The majority of institutions surveyed attribute their increased Renminbi usage to China’s investments and partnerships facilitated by the Belt and Road Initiative
A prominent player in Southeast Asia’s digital finance sector, the group saw significant growth in 2023, cutting losses by 29% despite a challenging economic environment
The top 10 digital banks saw revenue grow from $41 billion in 2022 to about $49 billion in 2023
While asset growth of world’s 1000 largest banks remained stable, loan and deposit growth slowed
North America and Asia Pacific banks maintain overall balance sheet strength over those in other regions, with the Middle East showing some improvements. Profitability among all 1000 banks improved, driven by higher interest rates, while asset quality indicators stayed stable.
The Middle East and Africa lead in bank profitability, benefiting from considerable non-interest-bearing deposits and elevated oil prices in the Middle East, along with high interest rates and foreign exchange gains in Africa, according to the TAB Global 1000 Strongest Banks Ranking.
Digital banks continue to experience rapid growth in users, assets and revenue, with Brazil’s Nubank, the retail arm of ING Group and China’s WeBank leading the sector. Profitability among digital banks has improved, with a shorter time to break even.
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.