MUFG Bank is developing its transaction banking franchise in Asia Pacific through a coordinated model that combines local execution, regional control and cross-border connectivity, but the extent to which it can translate this into a scalable, flow-driven business remains a defining question.

Standard Chartered is positioning its transaction banking business in ASEAN around rising intra-Asia flows, fragmented liquidity structures and the growing role of platforms, digital infrastructure and new forms of money.

This year's TAB Global Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2026 reveals three forces reshaping retail banking in ways that go beyond the interest rate cycle: the compression of spread-based income and the drive to diversify revenue; a fundamental reappraisal of the deposit franchise; and the deepening integration of artificial intelligence across banking operations and client engagement.

BIDV receives dual recognition at the TAB Global Excellence in Retail Finance Awards 2026, reaffirming its position as the leading retail bank in Vietnam and highlighting its innovative approach to digital banking with a standout deposit product in the Asia Pacific region.

Bank of New York Mellon reported record revenue and net income in 2025, driven by growth in fee and interest income, operational leverage and platform-based initiatives. Chief executive officer Robin Vince and chief financial officer Dermot McDonogh highlighted a continued focus on higher-margin growth, digital transformation and strategic client base expansion.

Al Rajhi Bank’s profit grew by 26% in 2025, supported by balanced loan growth, a shift toward SMEs and corporates, and expanding investment banking activity, as its “Harmonise the group” strategy concludes.

At the Shanghai International AI Finance Summit 2026, Wang Kaijing of SenseTime discussed how AI-driven models enable banks to integrate structured and unstructured data to improve risk management and operational efficiency. Chak Wong, managing director at JP Morgan, explained why many AI initiatives fail, stressing the need for strong leadership, organisational alignment and domain knowledge.

China’s Cross-Border Interconnection Payment Gateway (CPG) gives domestic and international payment institutions a single, standardised on-ramp for cross-border QR payments. Yang Wenhui, chief executive officer of TenPay Global (Singapore) discusses the gateway’s potential, why partnerships are essential and why common technical and compliance standards are needed before agentic payments can scale.

Discussions at The Asian Banker Shanghai International AI Finance Summit focused on how emerging AI agents are reshaping the economics of infrastructure, the boundaries of competition and the way customers access financial services.

As large language models move from generating answers to taking actions, financial institutions face a new risk profile. Permissions, reliability and data governance are now the three pressure points that matter most, as discussed during The Asian Banker Shanghai International AI Finance Summit.

Carbon pricing is gaining ground across Asia, with China operating the world's largest emissions-trading system and countries from Japan to Indonesia developing their own schemes. Whether these fragmented efforts can coalesce into a regional market remains an open question—but the economic and climate stakes, for Asia and the world, are enormous.

OCBC is reshaping the future of regional banking across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China and Macau through Velocity and the OCBC Business App – built on a unified digital platform designed to operate consistently across markets. Structured around four pillars — Apply, Transact, Service and Engage — the platform integrates digital identity onboarding, embedded treasury connectivity, authenticated servicing and AI-driven product orchestration into a single regional architecture.

Top digital banks achieve profitability either through disciplined lending execution or by monetising customer ecosystems, not simply by scaling loan growth.

Bank of America’s Global Payments Solutions franchise in Asia Pacific is expanding through double-digit client acquisition, institutional mandates growth and targeted product investments. Beyond regional revenue contribution, the leadership team positioned performance within a globally integrated network model, where balance sheet growth, mandate wins, and client expansion provide further indicators of momentum. The growth strategy rests on network scale, trade and FX innovation, cross-border real-time payments capability and deepening coverage of financial institutions and private capital clients.

Singapore is a major financial centre, managing over $6 trillion in assets under management, hosting the regional headquarters of most global banks, and operating a trusted regulatory environment.