Announcements

• AUB bags funds transfer awards from global banks
  Two global banks recently recognized Asia United Bank (AUB) with a Straight Through Processing (STP) Excellence Award for its seamless payment transactions made from 2024 to 2025.
  Global financial services firm J.P. Morgan bestowed its coveted J.P. Morgan U.S. Dollar Clearing Elite Quality Recognition Award to AUB, recognizing its best-in-class straight-through processing (STP) rates for 2024. It said the local bank demonstrated "consistent, high-quality performance of our clients' funds transfer operations management and staff." This was the second consecutive year AUB received an award from global financial services firms for its world-class STP performance, a strong testament to its efficiency in processing U.S. dollar payments for its customers and channeling such payments to its correspondent banks like J.P. Morgan.
  Another global financial institution and the oldest international bank in the Philippines, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), awarded AUB with its STP Diamond Excellence Award for USD Payments and its Platinum Excellence Award for EUR Payments, its first EUR STP award for AUB. For 2025, AUB achieved an excellent rating of 99.3% for USD payments and 97.2% for EUR payments. "These are testimonies to the high standard of performance of AUB's officers and staff, and your dedication to serving clients," said Tet Sangil, Standard Chartered Bank Head of Financial Institutions.
  The annual STP Excellence Award is a prestigious designation presented to leading financial institutions worldwide which achieved rates of at least 95%. Moreover, it is a recognition of superior and excellent service through consistent and efficient processing of international funds transfer requests.
  "Earning recognition from our global payments partners emboldens us to further improve on our digital capabilities while being strictly adherent to the requirements on industry standards for the SWIFT environment, which also includes the security requirements of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, as well as all regulatory requirements on money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) checking and validations," said Wilfredo E. Rodriguez Jr., AUB executive vice president and head of IT and Operations.


• AUB makes investing safer, easier through HelloMoney
  In a bid to encourage many Filipinos to invest and help deepen the domestic capital markets, Asia United Bank (AUB) recently unveiled a new feature in its HelloMoney e-wallet application that allows users to invest directly in government-backed Treasury bills.
  The feature, called HelloInvest, offers more than six million HelloMoney users a simple, secure, and confidence-building entry into the world of investing, said AUB.
  Unlike many digital investment offerings that allow users to "dip a toe" with very small amounts, HelloInvest enables users to invest a minimum of P10,000 in short-term T-bills. "This higher starting amount reflects the nature of the product as a safe, low-risk, non-speculative investment backed by the Philippine government, not a gamble on market movements or fluctuating fund values," said Wilfredo Rodriguez Jr., Head of Operations and Technology at AUB.
  "HelloInvest is designed for people who want their first investment to be something they can really trust," he said. "T-bills offer predictable returns, fixed timelines, and full government backing. With HelloInvest, users start with an investment that is stable, secure, and a strong foundation for building long-term financial confidence."
  T-bills are among the safest investment instruments available in the Philippines, typically used by financial-savvy Filipinos who value preservation of capital, guaranteed repayment at maturity, and a clear understanding of how their money grows. "AUB makes this trusted investment accessible through a fully digital, step-by-step experience: no paperwork, no branch visits, and best of all, no jargon," Mr. Rodriguez added.
  AUB said HelloInvest is not designed for quick speculation or micro-investing but meant for people who want to take investing seriously without entering the volatility of stocks or market-priced funds. "We want users to feel that their first investment is meaningful and, of course, protected," added Mr. Rodriguez. "HelloInvest keeps things simple, safe, and transparent - the way a first investment should be."
  HelloInvest features include:
  > Investing in 91-day T-bills, issued and fully backed by the Philippine government;
  > Having predictable returns, no market swings - users know exactly when and how much they will earn;
  > Offering beginner-friendly guidance: a step-by-step flow makes investing understandable and stress-free;
  > Removing the hassles of paperwork and branch visits, as the entire process happens within the HelloMoney app; and
  > Combining HelloMoney's convenience with AUB's secure banking infrastructure.
  AUB has been expanding the global acceptance of HelloMoney, which now includes mainland China and nearly 60 other countries in 2025. More than six million HelloMoney users can make seamless payments by scanning QR (quick response) codes supported by Alipay+ in more markets when they travel abroad.
  HelloInvest is available to all HelloMoney users. To get started, simply update the HelloMoney app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.


• AUB posts record net income of P12.7 billion in 2025
  A more robust commercial lending portfolio combined with improved operational efficiency enabled Asia United Bank (AUB) and its subsidiaries to post a record double-digit growth in profitability in 2025.
  The group disclosed that its unaudited consolidated net income increased by 12% to P12.7 billion for the full year 2025 from P11.4 billion in 2024. This was primarily driven by a significant expansion in their combined commercial loan portfolio.
  Reflecting success in deploying capital efficiently while maintaining a clean balance sheet, the bank sustained a return on equity (ROE) of 20% while return on assets (ROA) stood at 3.1%.
  Total operating income rose 9% to P23.2 billion, anchored on a 13% increase in total loan portfolio which stood at P276 billion in 2025. The bank saw a surge in loan availments as business confidence returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2025. This lending activity drove net interest income to P18.4 billion, up 10% from previous year.
  Low-cost current account/savings account (CASA) deposits grew 25% to P279 billion, cushioning the bank from higher funding costs and enabling it to keep its net interest margin steady at 4.8%. CASA deposits comprised 71% of AUB's total deposits of P349 billion, which grow by 12% year-on-year.
  Complementing its lending business, AUB's other income increased 8% to P4.8 billion, led by higher fee-based income from other operational activities such as AUB PayMate, HelloMoney, remittance, trust, and credit cards businesses.
  Credit costs remained well-contained, with a nonperforming loans (NPL) ratio of 0.38% and NPL coverage ratio of 115%. This reflects the bank's disciplined underwriting and high-quality asset base, which further bolstered its strong income performance. This also ensures the bank is fully prepared to absorb potential volatility, even as provisioning requirements normalize due to improved borrower behavior.
  Total assets reached P435 billion, 13% higher than in 2024. Capital ratios remained robust, with Common Equity Tier 1 (CET 1) at 18.4% and Total Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) at 19.1%.
  "Even as we continue to post record growth, we remain cautiously optimistic as the entire banking industry faces more intense competition from fintechs, AI adoption, and more complex cyber threats. In addition, there are still mounting cost pressures and continuing geopolitical instability. However, growth opportunities abound for AUB, particularly in digital partnerships. It is through this that we can stay ahead of the curve by revolutionizing cross-border digital payment solutions through our HelloMoney, among others," said Manuel A. Gomez, president of AUB.
  AUB has been expanding the global acceptance of its e-wallet HelloMoney, which now includes mainland China and nearly 60 other countries in 2025. This means more than six million HelloMoney users can now make seamless payments by scanning QR (quick response) codes supported by Alipay+ in more markets when they travel abroad.


• AUB's HelloMoney expands acceptance to China, 60 countries via Alipay+
  Asia United Bank (AUB), one of the country's leading digital banking innovators, further expanded the global acceptance of its e-wallet HelloMoney, which now includes mainland China and nearly 60 other countries in 2025. This means more than six million HelloMoney users can now make seamless payments by scanning QR (quick response) codes supported by Alipay+ in more markets when they travel abroad.
  The expansion to China - one of the world's most advanced and QR-driven payment markets - builds on HelloMoney's existing footprint in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Last December 2025, 48 countries were added to HelloMoney's network reach: Armenia, Australia, Cambodia, Chile, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Laos, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, New Zealand, Qatar, San Marino, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, as well as 30 countries across Europe.
  "Our partnership with Alipay+ empowers Filipinos with unprecedented international payment access," said AUB president Manuel A. Gomez. "With this expansion, HelloMoney is removing long-standing barriers in foreign travel and ensuring that every Filipino can enjoy safe and convenient digital payments abroad."
  For millions of Filipinos traveling for leisure or business, the expansion of HelloMoney's reach eliminates the stress that usually goes with currency exchange or the need to carry large amounts of foreign currency. Users can simply open their HelloMoney app, scan an Alipay+ QR code, and pay using funds directly from their HelloMoney account in Philippine pesos. Transactions are transparent, real-time, and fully secured, giving travelers complete control over their spending with no hidden steps or foreign currency confusion.
  "HelloMoney was built to make everyday transactions simpler, and that mission extends to the way Filipinos move and pay around the world," said Wilfredo Rodriguez Jr., AUB's executive vice president and head of IT and Operations. "By expanding our Scan-to-Pay feature to China and other countries with Alipay+, we are giving our users a safer and more seamless way to pay internationally, without the usual challenges of handling foreign cash."
  AUB sees this global rollout as a powerful reinforcement of HelloMoney's value to Filipino travelers. By enabling direct, instant, and cashless payments across key travel destinations, HelloMoney positions itself not just as an e-wallet, but as a truly indispensable travel payment companion.
  The bank emphasized this is only the beginning of a broader global vision for HelloMoney. As international travel becomes increasingly digital, AUB aims to continuously enhance payment accessibility for Filipinos wherever they go.
  With its ever-growing acceptance network, secure Scan-to-Pay experience, and commitment to customer-first innovation, HelloMoney is helping shape the future of travel by making international payments safe, efficient, and "as easy as saying hello."


• AUB sustains profitability with double-digit ROE as of Q3 2025
  Higher revenues and improved operational efficiency enabled Asia United Bank (AUB) and its subsidiaries to sustain their profitability in the first three quarters of the year.
  The group posted a net income of P9.4 billion as of September 2025, a 9% increase from P8.6 billion a year ago. This translated to a 3.2% return on assets (ROA) and 20.4% return on equity (ROE).
  Total operating income grew 10% as of September to P17.2 billion from year-ago's P15.6 billion. Earning assets rose 22% to P390.6 billion from P319.2 billion, resulting in an 8% increase in net interest margin to P13.5 billion and a net interest margin ratio of 5.0% during the period.
  Thanks to stronger trading and foreign exchange gains, along with higher fee-based revenues from credit cards, AUB PayMate, HelloMoney and remittance transactions, trust operations, and other branch-related services, the bank's non-interest income increased by 18% to P3.7 billion from year-ago.
  While operating expenses rose 10% to P5.5 billion driven by higher compensation, capital expenditures, and growth-related costs, AUB was able to keep its low cost-to-income ratio at 32.2%, demonstrating sustained operational efficiency.
  AUB set aside loan loss provisions 141% higher than the previous year to support its expanding loan portfolio. Despite the increase in loan volumes, asset quality further improved, as shown in the bank's improved non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 0.36% from 0.53% a year ago. It also remains sufficiently covered, with an NPL coverage ratio at 117.14%.
  "Sustaining our profitability is no mean feat, considering the heightened risks in our operating environment, both domestically and globally. But we managed to post double-digit growth rates in our core businesses," said AUB President Manuel A. Gomez. AUB's total loan portfolio grew 29% year-on-year to P256.9 billion from P198.9 billion while total deposits rose 19% YOY to P336.2 billion to support business volume growth. Funding cost remains low as low-cost deposits (current account/savings account or CASA) comprised 78% of its total deposits, higher than the previous year's 76%.
  Total assets grew 19% YOY to P417.1 billion from P352.0 billion. Total equity increased 16% to P65.7 billion from P56.6 billion, mainly from retained earnings. The bank is adequately capitalized with capital ratios well above regulatory requirements. It has an indicative Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio of 18.75% and a capital adequacy ratio of 19.50%.
  "We remain on the lookout for growth opportunities in the horizon, particularly in digital partnerships. It is through this that we can offer digital payment solutions such as our all-in-one digital payment acceptance product AUB PayMate, as well as revolutionize cross-border digital payments through our HelloMoney e-wallet, among others," Mr. Gomez added.
  Recently, AUB embarked on several partnerships so HelloMoney can reach many Filipinos, including the unbanked and underserved. AUB collaborated with leading digital insurer Singlife Philippines to bring the benefits of microinsurance to millions of Filipinos through HelloMoney. Pushing digital innovation further, the bank also partnered with the Social Security System (SSS) to introduce the SSS Pay Card so the state pension funds' over 40 million members can conveniently receive their benefits, loans proceeds, and pension via AUB's e-wallet HelloMoney app. AUB also partnered with TerraPay Holdings Limited, a London-based global payments infrastructure company, to offer the Send Money Abroad feature in HelloMoney so users, especially overseas Filipinos, can transfer funds quickly, securely, and affordably to recipients across the globe.