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It’s easy to forget how long Citi has been in Asia and how deep its roots go. Its direct forerunner, The National City Bank of New York, opened its inaugural Hong Kong office in 1902.

When a financial institution can claim to provide private banking services to more than half of the billionaires on the Forbes Hong Kong rich list, you know it is doing well.

There are bigger banks in Taiwan, but none better right now than E.Sun.

Three foreign lenders stand out on this teardrop-shaped island: HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citi. The latter two have solid and long-standing onshore operations, but neither can compete with the strength of HSBC, which first opened its doors in Sri Lanka way back in 1892.

Hang Seng Bank is in no doubt what it is here for and who it serves – no small fact in an age when many lenders struggle for a sense of identity and direction.

Bank of China, the most international of Beijing’s big-four state lenders, put down an important marker in 1998 when it founded BOC International. While wholly owned by its parent, the outfit was based in Hong Kong and international in nature and focus.

Excellence in digital banking is not easy. Many lenders struggle to adapt to an era where everyone is online, but where some customers still covet the personal touch.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) is one of just three commercial lenders allowed to issue bank notes denominated in Hong Kong dollars. Since its consolidation as a single entity in 2001, it has become a mainstay of the local financial system. It’s current vice-chair and chief executive is Yingxin Gao.

A vast army of small and medium-sized enterprises form the heart, gut and soul of this frontier market. In an overwhelmingly cash-based economy, SMEs make up 90% of all businesses, few of which have access to formal banking services. But a few lenders are spearheading a drive to bring banking to small business owners, led by Yangon-based CB Bank.

When Myanmar opened up after 2012, it was quick to hand out banking licences – and Singapore’s leading lenders were first in line. This year, the award for best international bank in Myanmar goes to OCBC, which has been here on and off since 1923.

KBZ is an exceptional lender with a storied history and matchless connections in the capital Naypyidaw. Its domestic clout and strength means that its CSR credentials are often overlooked. Yet KBZ is the undoubted domestic leader in this field, its commitment to corporate and social responsibility stemming from a terrible and destructive moment in the country’s modern history. In 2008, a massive cyclone crashed into Myanmar’s long coastline, killing 138,000 people, displacing millions, and causing at least $10 billion worth of damage. That calamity compelled the bank to set up its social initiative division, KBZ Brighter Future Myanmar Foundation, and to get to work.

After years of chasing HBL and United Bank, MCB may be on the verge of becoming Pakistan’s banking leader. In June, MCB formally began its absorption of Pakistan’s 11th biggest bank, NIB Bank, and is reaping the benefits: total deposits jumped 24% to cross PRs1 trillion ($9 billion) for the year, while assets climbed 23% to PRs1.37 trillion.