Asiamoney Best Bank Awards

UnionBank of the Philippines was well in the throes of what its bankers call “teching up” the 53-year-old institution, even before Covid-19 arrived.

This year’s best international bank call was particularly tough. Citi, our 2020 pick, had another solid year. Standard Chartered scored some notable deals, as did CIMB Bank. However, this time it’s UBS that takes the gong.

For investors and corporations, there was no avoiding BDO Capital over the last 18 months. Name any significant deal or transaction in the Philippines, and odds are the wholly owned subsidiary of BDO Unibank was involved.

Bank SinoPac has various initiatives that make it Taiwan’s best bank for CSR, but one that stands out – and which sets it apart from its peers – is its migrant worker lending programme.

E.SUN Bank’s focus on small and medium-sized enterprises is astute given these companies form the backbone of Taiwan’s economy. SMEs account for more than 98% of registered companies and the majority are still family-owned businesses.

People no longer need to go to banks in person; financial services are now available at their fingertips. This is the message most firms in Taiwan are trying to monetise. Many have been rolling out internet banking or developments for mobile apps. But Far Eastern International Bank is one of a few institutions to try something novel, thus making it Asiamoney’s best digital bank in Taiwan.

DBS Bank Taiwan has more than proved itself worthy of the best international bank title this year, excelling in corporate and investment banking, and making innovative strides in digital services, all while pushing further into the wealth management market.

CTBC Bank, Taiwan’s largest private sector bank, won this year’s awards for best domestic bank and for best corporate and investment bank, because of its resilience and innovation in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as for its global ambitions.