Global financial services are entering a more challenging phase of growth, and APAC is no exception. Geopolitical uncertainty, persistent cost pressures, changing economic conditions, and rapid advances in AI are reshaping how banks think about growth. Across APAC, where markets differ significantly in maturity, customer expectations, and competitive dynamics, the traditional growth playbook is becoming increasingly difficult to rely on.
This is pushing banks in the region to look beyond traditional products and established business models for new sources of commercial value. In our latest video, Joshua Koh, Partner in the Financial Services practice in our Sydney office, explores how APAC financial services organizations can respond.
Key takeaways from the video
1. Rethink growth priorities in a changing market
For banks across APAC, the priority is shifting toward identifying new sources of growth, innovation, and customer value. Three areas are becoming increasingly important:
- Balance growth with rising costs: Banks need to identify where sustainable growth can be achieved while managing operating costs.
- Make AI part of the business agenda: AI in banking is moving beyond experimentation to shape how organizations think about efficiency, customer value, and future competitiveness.
- Plan beyond the immediate market: Decisions made today need to support where the organization wants to be over the next three to five years, rather than only responding to current conditions.
2. Look beyond traditional banking products for growth
As traditional banking propositions mature, APAC banks are looking for ways to use partnerships to unlock new commercial opportunities.
- Differentiate beyond traditional products: As financial services products become more commoditized, banks need to look past their existing portfolios to create meaningful differentiation.
- Use strategic partnerships to unlock new opportunities: Banks can leverage their brand, reputation, customer relationships, and data to enter new verticals and connect customers with services outside conventional financial products.
3. Leverage customer data for personalization and AI
Banks may not be top of mind every day, so the opportunity is to identify the moments when customers need them and make those interactions more relevant through personalization and AI.
- Turn existing data into meaningful personalization: APAC banks already hold vast amounts of customer data; the opportunity lies in using that data to identify key moments of truth and deliver more personalized experiences.
- Use AI to create value, not just reduce costs: AI should be deployed across the organization to improve how banks serve customers and create value, rather than being treated only as an efficiency lever.
For APAC banks, the path to future growth lies in stepping outside traditional banking and combining AI, personalization, customer insight, and strategic partnerships to create greater customer value and unlock new commercial opportunities.
Watch the full video to hear Josh’s perspective on the priorities shaping financial services across APAC and how banks can prepare for what comes next.
Watch the video:
