The Largest Banks of Southeast Asia

The banking sector in Southeast Asia has outperformed the global banking sector since the global financial crisis. The banks have continued to offer growth opportunity, especially in the emerging markets. The diverse economies of the Southeast Asia and the individual nations have propelled the growth of the banking sector in the region. The central banks regulates the financial sector in Southeast Asia. The region has some of the largest banks in the world which continue to grow due to the emerging market.

1. DBS Bank

DBS Bank Limited is an international banking and financial service company headquartered in Marina Bay, Singapore. The bank was established in 1968 by the Singaporean government to carry out industrial financing activities in the country. Today, the bank boasts of over 100 branches and is the largest bank in Southeast Asia by assets with total assets of US$322.8 billion as at 2016. DBS Bank offers consumer banking, asset management, and security brokerage as its major services. The bank operates in 17 markets with over 200 branches and over 1,000 ATMs across the country.

2. Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC Bank)

OCBC Bank is headquartered in Singapore. The bank which was founded in 1932 has a worldwide network which has expanded to include several subsidiaries, branches, and offices in over 15 countries. The bank has several subsidiaries including Securities, Holdings, and Bank of Singapore among other subsidiaries. OCBC Bank has an asset of more than US$275 billion making it one of the world’s strongest banks by total assets. OCBC Bank offers services such as consumer, corporate, and investment banking, wealth management, and asset management.

3. United Overseas Bank

United Overseas Bank is a multinational bank headquartered in Singapore with branches across Southeast Asia. The bank was established in 1935 as United Chinese Bank by a group of Chinese-born businessmen. The bank provides commercial and corporate banking services, capital ventures, and insurance services among other services. UOB has over 65 branches in Singapore and a network of over 450 offices in about 18 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. UOB is the third largest bank in the region with total assets of US$ 222.8 billion. Its subsidiaries include Far Eastern Bank Limited, UOB Building and Furniture Limited, UOB Asset Management Limited, and UOB Venture Management Private Limited.

4. Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)

Maybank is a Malaysian bank with key operation markets in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. It is the largest bank in Malaysia by market capitalization and total asset with total assets exceeding US$165 billion. It is also the largest listed company on the Malaysian stock exchange. Its network spans across ten Southeastern Asian countries as well as other key Asian countries with a network of over 2,300 offices and more than 4,500 employees worldwide. Its subsidiaries include Malayan Banking Berhad, Maybank Philippines, MCB Bank Limited, and Maybank Investment Bank Berhad.

5. Commercial International Merchant Bankers (CIMB)

CIMB Group is a universal bank in Malaysia headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. The group operates under several entities including CIMB Investment Bank, Securities International, CIMB Thai and Islamic Bank, CIMB Niang. The bank’s business activities include consumer and wholesale banking, investment and corporate banking, and strategic management. CIMB Group has its branches in over 18 countries covering major global financial centers. CIMB is one of the largest banks in Southeast Asia with a total asset of US$107.7 billion employing over 40,000 employees in areas of operations.