Asia Best Bet

Residents of Asia have a pretty mixed bag when it comes to legalities
concerning if they can gamble on sports betting sites or not. Regulations and
laws vary greatly from country to country. It is easy to understand how it could
quickly become confusing for someone living in Asia. While some Asian countries
have clearly defined laws relating to gambling online, others still are lacking
clarity.

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Have no fear, however! We’re here to help get you up to speed with everything
that you need to know about Asian sports betting sites. On this page, we’ve
packed in tons of information about Asian bookies. You’ll find
information below ranging from tips, site recommendations, and frequently asked
questions. By the time that you check out all of the information below, you’ll
be much more informed about Asian sports betting sites.

With so many Asian sports betting sites available to you, it is tough how to
separate the good ones from the bad ones. While the vast majority of sites out
there are good, there are some unfortunate ones that cannot be trusted. To help
you sift through the options out there, we’ve done a ton of research on many of
the key players out there. Below, you’ll find our list of most trusted Asian
sports betting sites. The sites on this list are the cream of the crop when it
comes to security, trustworthiness, and customer service. For those of you ready
to start wagering on Asian sports betting sites now, you can start on any one of
the most trusted sites below, and you’ll be in good hands.

If you’re not quite ready to hop into wagering yet, keep on reading. No
matter if you’re new or just looking to learn more, you’ll find a large amount
of helpful information as well and tips on this page.

Why Bet Online?

If you’re new to betting online, you’re probably asking yourself why to
consider betting online versus betting in a traditional sportsbook or casino. We
had the same questions when we first got started with online betting many years
ago. Long short of it, we’re big fans of online betting mainly due to three main
factors. Those factors are the variety of choices, the convenience, and bonuses
and promotions. We’ll break down each one a bit more below so that you can see
why we like to bet online.

Variety

You’ll find no shortage of Asian sports betting sites available to you.
Unlike traditional brick and mortar casinos where you might just have one within
driving distance, you have access to a high list of quality Asian sports betting
sites that are online right now. All of these options create value in that you
can hand pick to find your perfect fit.

Since you have so many options, you’re less likely to have to make
concessions. When you only have one or two choices, you might just have to “deal
with it” regarding some things that you’re not a big fan of. However, with the
large selection of Asian sports betting sites out there, you should be able to
find a site that offers you everything you’re looking for so that you don’t have
to settle for just good enough.

Convenience

What if I told you that betting on sports could be just as easy as checking
Facebook from your phone? I’ve got news for you that it already is that easy.
Why waste your gas money and time traveling to a physical sportsbook when you
can do it all from your home or office using your phone or laptop?

It doesn’t get much easier than using your mobile phone or laptop to place
your wagers on Asian sports betting sites. The sheer convenience of a
whenever/wherever set up is tough to top. Because of the ease of use and
flexibility, we’re big fans on betting online as opposed to in person.

Bonuses and Promotions

Betting online has several key things that we like, but the bonuses and
promotions are perhaps our favorite of the bunch. Asian sports betting sites
often offer up bonuses and promotions regularly. Unlike traditional brick and
mortar sportsbooks and casinos, online sports betting sites tend to entice
clients with these promotions very often.

What’s great about these bonuses and promotions is that it gives you the
chance to earn some free money for doing what you were already going to do in
the first place. If you’re going to wager on sports, you might as well do it
somewhere that will allow you the ability to put some extra cash at the same
time!

Asia is an extremely vast area filled with an abundant mix of people and
cultures. Unfortunately, there is no single to answer regarding if online
betting is legal for the entirety of Asia. Laws and regulations relating to
online betting vary from country to country. For those countries operating under Sharia law, all
forms of gambling (online and in person) are completely banned. In some Asian
countries, individuals found to be gambling may actively be pursued by the law.If you’re a resident in Asia, we’d suggest that you have a full understanding
relating to online betting regulations for your country. While many countries
have laws against online betting, most countries out there are NOT pursuing
individuals that are partaking. Google is a great tool for you to begin your
deeper research into the laws and regulations relating to online betting in your
country.

Important Asian Sports Betting Sites Criteria

Using our extensive combined team experience of online betting sites, we’ve
compiled a list of six key criteria that you should look into for any Asian
sports betting site that you are considering. The criteria listed below are the
same criteria that we utilize when we’re doing a review on a new sports betting
site. If you decide to look for an Asian sports betting site on your own, be
sure to pay special attention to these six key criteria.

Banking Options

One big thing that you’ll want to investigate as you hunt for your Asian
sports betting site home is what type of banking options are available to you.
You’ll need to find a site that offers you banking options that you can work
with or else you won’t be able to move your money on and off the sports betting
site. Banking options vary between Asian sports betting sites, so it is
important that you find one that offers what you need relating to banking
options.

The majority of Asian sports betting sites offer standard options such as
bank wires and credit or debit card transactions. We also tend to see other
options such as Skrill and Bitcoin offered by some of the Asian sports betting
sites. One thing is for sure; every Asian sports betting site is unique in what
banking options they offer.

User Interface

Another important criterion to look for as you search for an Asian sports
betting site home is the site’s user interface. A site’s user interface will
control how the site looks and feels. We see a large variety of user interfaces
across different Asian sports betting sites.

Your goal should be to find a site that you feel most comfortable on. If
you’re having a hard time getting around on the site or finding things that you
are seeking, that site may not be the one for you. Luckily, there are plenty of
options out there for you to investigate. We promise that you’ll be able to find
one that will feel right to you.

The reason that you’ll want to find a site that feels right to you is so that
you’re able to get business done quickly and efficiently when it comes time to
wager. If you’re getting lost or hung up due to the user interface, you’ll
struggle to place wagers in a timely fashion. Always seek to find a site that
has a user interface that jives well with you.

Bonuses and Promotions

One of the great things about Asian sports betting sites is that nearly all
of them offer up some great bonuses and promotions. The awesome thing with
bonuses and promotions is that they offer you the ability to earn some free
cash! And if you’re anything like us, you too love free money!

Asian sports betting sites will use bonuses and promotions for two different
buckets of clients. One bucket is new potential clients while the other bucket
is current clients that they would like to retain. Usually, most Asian sports
betting sites will have promotions for both buckets of clientele.

When it comes to new potential clients, Asian sports betting sites tend to
offer the biggest bonuses and promotions. Since they see the value in your
lifetime betting, they want to try to get you on their site before you end up
somewhere else. Often, you’ll find free money in the form of sign up bonuses
just for joining the site. Also, pay close attention to initial deposit bonuses
as these are a great way to score some more free money!

Competitive Lines

Be sure that you look for an Asian sports betting site that offers you
competitive lines. By finding a site with competitive lines, you’ll know that
you’re getting a good value on your wager. Without it, you might be leaving
money on the table.

You can check for line competitiveness by shopping around other Asian sports
betting sites while you’re doing your homework. If you find that one site always
tends to offer higher lines than other sites, that one might be a great fit for
you. Conversely, if you come across a site that always tends to have lower
lines, we’d suggest that you keep looking for another Asian sports betting site
home.

Variety of Sports and Bets

Last, but not least, be sure to find an Asian sports betting site that offers
you a wide variety of both sports and types of bets. First, you’ll want to find
a site that offers you a large selection of different sports that you can wager
on. Then, be sure also to make sure that they offer a lot of types of bets on
those sports.

Quality Customer Service

Customer service is another one of those key criteria that you should be
looking for when it comes to Asian sports betting sites. And know that we’re not
just talking any old customer service; you should be hunting for quality
customer service. Your goal should be to locate a site that takes great care of
their customers.

To get a feel for customer service, try giving them a call or utilizing their
live chat functionality if available. Check to see how quickly they respond and
how helpful the customer service agents are with your issues. If you feel like
they are being extremely helpful, you’ve probably found a good one!

Another way to get feedback regarding a site’s customer service is to check
out reviews that have been done by other people. Lucky for you, we’ve done a
boatload of reviews on many different Asian sports betting sites. In each one,
you’ll find a section dedicated to their customer service and how we ranked it.
Be sure to check out our site reviews to see what all we have to offer!

Staying Safe

We’ve compiled a short list of our top tips to help keep you safe while
betting online. These tips should always be in the front of your mind no matter
where you decide to wager. Consider writing these down or bookmarking this page
so that you can come back to these tips often to keep them fresh in your mind.

Top Tips to Stay Safe Betting Sports Online:

• Keep up to speed with
  industry news and trends. By doing so, you can stay ahead of the curve of any
  massive changes in legality and other important matters.
• Don’t keep excess money in
  your betting account. Only keep as much as you need for your typical wagers.
• If you don’t feel
  comfortable with a site any longer for ANY reason, move on to another one.
• Research, research,
  research! The more you know before wagering online, the safer you should be.

Sports Betting Site Tip

We didn’t want to let you go without giving you one of our favorite tips
relating to Asian sports betting sites! We ALWAYS suggest that you join more
than one Asian sports betting site. We know that it takes a little bit more
upfront work, but we promise you it will be worth your time.

By joining more than one Asian sports betting site, you’ll be able to shop
the line competitiveness between multiple shops. When you’re a member at just
one Asian sports betting site, you have no easy way to tell if the lines being
offered to you are competitive or not. However, by joining more than one Asian
sports betting site, you can quickly shop between the sites to find the one
offering you the best lines.

By shopping line competitiveness, it allows you to know that you’re getting
the best bang for your buck. If your wager wins, you’ll end up walking away with
more cash than you would have if you had accepted a lower line without knowing
you could have done better. Because of this, ALWAYS join more than one Asian
sports betting site and ALWAYS shop line competitiveness between them!

FAQs

Check out our list of frequently asked questions about Asian sports betting
sites below:

I’m new to betting on sports online. Where do you suggest I start?

You’ve found a great place to start here on this page and on our website.
Here, we’ll provide you with an honest source of independent information about
Asian sports betting sites. Our goal here is to help you end up on a trusted
site where you can place your sports wagers.

To help you learn more about Asian sports betting sites, be sure to check our
site reviews. We’ve provided the link below for you so that you can check them
out. In each review, we take a deep dive into critical areas that determine how
trusted a site is. Using reviews like this from an honest and trusted source
will help guide you in the right direction on your search for you Asian sports
betting site home.

How can I move money onto and off of these online sportsbooks?

You’ll find that the vast majority of Asian sports betting sites offer many
different banking options to get your money onto and off of the website. Banking
options can and do vary from site to site, so you’ll want to make sure that you
find a site that offers you banking options that you need. For example, if you
prefer to use Skrill, make sure that you find an Asian sports betting site that
allows you to use that method for both deposits and withdrawals.

Is betting on sports online safe?

It definitely can be. However, there are many potential pitfalls out there in
the form of shady Asian sports betting sites. You’ll want to do your homework to
make sure that you end up on a site that can be trusted. In order to find a site
that you can trust, turn to sites like this one to give you quality reviews and
honest opinions.

Asian banks faced down challenges last year to deliver solid results based on strong fundamentals—paving the way, they hope, for a postcrisis recovery.

It almost goes without saying that the “AC” era (after Covid-19) that beckons at some point in the coming months will be resoundingly different from the sudden and extreme economic slump now unfolding. But even last year, banks in the Asia-Pacific region were wrestling with a range of challenges, the biggest being the onslaught of fintech, backed by the “super apps” that have gained traction in Asia and the competition this transformation poses to the long-enjoyed hegemony of big, traditional incumbent banks.

Washington’s ongoing trade war with Beijing, meanwhile, helped drag China’s GDP growth to a 30-year low and raised the prospect of default and bank rescue over China’s financial system. The drama dampened regional economic activity more broadly as well; Singapore narrowly missed technical recession last year, clocking its lowest growth in a decade.

Against this challenging external environment, Asia-Pacific banks posted a steady performance rooted in ample capital buffers, a low cost of credit, funding largely by deposits rather than capital markets and a willingness to meet the challenges of digitization with innovation. This bodes well for the coming AC era, some close observers argue.

“Banks in APAC are well positioned, and we believe that after the crisis most highly rated banks in Asia will return to profitability and continue to merit high ratings,” says Graeme Knowd, managing director at Moody’s Financial Institutions Group in Hong Kong.

Singapore’s DBS navigated a steady course last year and takes the title as 2020’s Best Bank in Asia-Pacific and also Best Bank in Singapore. Based on shareholder returns and financial ratios, DBS unambiguously retains its elite status. Return on equity (ROE) was 13.2% last year, thanks to a 14% net profit increase of 6.39 billion Singapore dollars ($4.49 billion)—both record numbers for the bank—while it shaved 1% off its cost-income ratio, down to 43%, and increased its dividend to 2.5%.

DBS touts a transformational culture in respect to both digitization—it holds a need for innovation and experimentation as axiomatic—and environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. Use of the PayLah! mobile payment app surged in 2019; the bank launched a financing facility in China based on a logistics blockchain platform; and it introduced digiPortfolio, a hybrid human-robot investment solution. DBS continued to tick the ESG boxes with its ongoing focus on gender diversity, employee engagement and a responsible banking framework that directs capital flows toward projects that build sustainability.

Wealth management was also a standout for DBS last year, as assets under management rose to SG$245 billion, delivering a 16% rise in income and 21% of total returns for DBS Group. DBS’ institutional banking arm also thrived. Cash management income surged 14%, and the bank’s dominance in equity and capital markets continued. DBS led all the main-board initial public offerings in Singapore last year and enjoyed a 31% share of the Singapore-dollar primary fixed-income market.

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan

China’s big three banks stood up to the brutal external headwinds in 2019, and none better than Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), this year’s Best Bank in China, which posted 5% growth in profits. ICBC enjoys a vast deposit base and derives around 75% of its operating profit from interest income; by comparison, its global peers among big, traditional banks ascribe some 50% of operating profit to that source. ICBC has also maintained relatively low exposure to risky corporate lending and in recent years has upped the weighting of its loan portfolio to relatively safe residential mortgages.

The bank conducted several successful rounds of additional tier-one capital raising last year via perpetual bond issuance, helping it achieve an enviable capital adequacy ratio of 16.8%, up 1.4% from 2018. Nonperforming loans (NPLs) were lower by 9 basis points to 1.4% in 2019, having dropped in each of the preceding 10 quarters; and the bank’s cost-to-income ratio remained stable at 25.8%.

A striking development for ICBC last year was an increase in its lending to micro-, small and midsize enterprises (MSMEs)—its loan balance with this group increasing by 130 billion renminbi ($18.37 billion), or 40%, from the start of the year, with loans to private enterprises rising 7.6% over the period. Within its lending framework, ICBC has also kept a sharp eye on corporate social responsibility and the interests of its stakeholders, developing inclusive finance, green finance and precision poverty alleviation, all with an emphasis on strong corporate governance. Its lending to inclusive finance grew by 50% in 2019, five times the average for all loans on its books.

Despite the economic fallout in Hong Kong from the trade war and months of social upheaval, Bank of East Asia (BEA) managed to book a 15% gain in net profits for 2019, an impressive achievement in its centenary year. Given the compression of margins inflicted by a low interest rate environment in Hong Kong, BEA has adopted a strategy of maximizing fee income and addressing risk management concerns head-on by accelerating loan downgrades and making provisions therein.

Across the Zhujiang River Estuary, ICBC Macau continued its recent run of success with a barnstorming 19% surge in profits against a somewhat minuscule 0.1% NPL ratio. The bank is accelerating development of specialized finance, including Sino-Portuguese asset platforms and wealth management.

Taiwan’s E.Sun Bank incorporates ESG into its business strategy and is the only financial institution on the island listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, where it is ranked first in Asia and third globally. E.Sun bested its peer group in 2019 with net profit of 15%, earnings per share of 2.17 Taiwan new dollars ($0.07), 12% ROE, 0.83% return on assets (ROA) and total fee income all hitting historic highs.

Australasia

Against a grim backdrop that has seen Australia’s banking industry’s suffer immense damage to its reputation in recent years, Commonwealth Bank (CBA) clawed back some kudos by delivering a better-than-expected cash profit for the second half of 2019 of 4.48 billion Australian dollars ($2.85 billion), earning it the title of Australia’s Best Bank for 2020. The market traded its stock at around 18.3 times earnings leading up to the results, the highest for any big bank in a developed economy.

CBA stood out by besting its rivals in home lending last year, growing loans to the sector by 4% in the first half compared with a 1.5% industry average: something of an achievement in the context of a weak Australian housing market and slowing economy.

Westpac New Zealand’s mission statement prioritizes using its financial and economic expertise to generate positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. In 2019, Westpac became the country’s first bank to issue green bonds and adopt the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures for running its operations. It has reached 1.6 billion New Zealand dollars ($957.61 million) of its target to lend NZ$2 billion to climate-change solutions.

Japan

SMBC Group is this year’s Best Bank in Japan, posting steady profit of ¥726 billion ($6.73 billion) for the 2018 financial year, and ROE marginally weaker at 8.2%; while common equity pushed up 1.9% to 16.4% of its tier-one capital. SMBC Group benefits from the combination of megabank SMBC and leading securities firm SMBC Nikko: the former has leading positions in credit card membership and consumer loans via 43 million customers, and the latter brings the advantage of being a securities underwriter with international reach.

The group has expanded its consolidated net profits in recent years via diversification; more than 50% of group profits now derive from the activities of its subsidiaries outside the SMBC banking business, many operating overseas. A key example is the group’s project-finance franchise, which is a world leader and delivers returns superior to those available in Japan’s yield-starved domestic markets.

SMBC Group aims to help meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as climate change and human rights protections, having proposed its own 10 goals within the SDGs and incorporated them into its business units’ initiatives. Underlining its ESG credentials is SMBC’s inclusion in numerous global ESG indexes.

The Subcontinent

This year’s Best Bank in India, State Bank of India (SBI), has a history going back to 1806. It is the oldest commercial bank in the subcontinent and also its largest bank, with a 22% share of deposits and blanket coverage of the country through more than 22,000 branches. SBI’s aim in recent years has been to enhance ROA and ROE, as expressed in its mission statement to be “the bank of choice for a transforming India.” It leads in the retail, agriculture and MSME sectors.

Presciently, SBI has fortified itself for future shocks: revamping its credit processes; reorganizing its risk assessment capability; working to resolve stressed assets, often through workouts; launching a business-to-customer platform and broadening its international footprint.

Diversity is a cornerstone of SBI’s long-term strategy; some 24% of the bank’s workforce are women. And it has joined the Asian migration to super apps with its Yono platform, which launched in 2017 and which serves as a digital bank, online marketplace and financial superstore.

Best Bet Asia Tip

Commercial Bank of Ceylon weathered the twin challenges of higher taxation and impairment charges in 2019, plus the adverse effects of last year’s April terrorist attacks, to deliver a solid 12% ROE off the highest gross income of any Sri Lankan bank. Deposits grew a solid 5% and interest income rose 11.2% to facilitate a 7.4% rise in total operating income.

Habib Bank is Pakistan’s largest commercial bank, serving over 20 million customers via 1,700 branches. It now regards itself as “a technology company with a banking license” and uses multiple digital channels to deliver innovative services to customers across all market segments. Habib operates Pakistan’s biggest treasury operations and is expanding its international footprint; it now offers renminbi transaction facilities, the first for a Pakistani bank. It has earned praise from the World Bank Group for its role in enhancing gender diversity; it currently serves more women than any other bank in Pakistan.

Prime Bank has made its mark in Bangladesh’s nascent infrastructure sector in recent years through the innovative solutions offered by its Structured Finance Division, which enable financing that goes beyond ordinary loans and with an eye on environmental sustainability. The bank sponsors the Prime Bank Foundation, a development initiative that implements social programs for the marginalized sectors of society.

Government-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank, recently deposed as Nepal’s largest commercial bank, has come to be regarded as an indispensable component of the Nepalese economy. The bank has been at the forefront of establishing branchless banking in Nepal, allowing access to low-cost financial services for unbanked communities.

Asia Best Bet 1x2

Southeast Asia

CB Bank was the first bank in Myanmar to invest in digital infrastructure, launching mobile banking app and wallet CB Pay in 2018, stamping its mark on a reputation for prime mover status, having launched the country’s first credit cards the year before and the first ATMs in 2011. In 2019, the bank was the first in ASEAN to launch an innovation lab on the Apix platform, with the aim of fostering collaboration between banks and fintech. Deposits and loans grew last year at a solid 32% and 19%, respectively.

Indonesia’s Bank Mandiri, 60% owned by the government, impressed with 10% increases in net income and consolidated assets in 2019 while reducing gross NPLs by 40 basis points to 2.4%. The bank raised the biggest sum yet achieved by an Indonesian bank in offshore primary bond markets by pricing a $750 million global medium-term note last year and continues to pursue a fast-moving digitization program. The bank is exploiting synergies with its subsidiaries in areas such as Islamic banking, multifinance, insurance and niche banking.

In the Philippines, BDO Unibank impressively executed its long-term growth strategy in 2019, leveraging its strong business franchise, wide distribution network and solid capital base, while turning its attention to underserved and unbanked markets. BDO boasts an impressive share in its home market, with 22% of loans and 19% of deposits and a hefty 37% of trust assets. It also ticks the boxes in private and investment banking, remittances, credit cards and rural banking.

Thailand’s Bangkok Bank has a broad footprint both domestically and abroad, with an extensive distribution network of 1,148 domestic branches and 117 business centers as well as mobile and internet banking platforms under the Bualuang brand. Bangkok Bank has the biggest international network among the Thai banks, extending from Southeast Asia to China, the US and the UK. Late last year it reached agreement to acquire an 89% stake in Indonesia’s Bank Permata, giving it access to Asean’s largest economy.

Vietnam’s MSB enjoyed a hefty 13% leap in assets last year with solid deposit and loan growth, fueling 18% growth in earnings for a 1% increase in ROE to 7.3%. Corporate deposits rose 39%, reflecting Vietnam’s burgeoning economy, which has benefited from the US-China trade war. MSB opened 10 new branches to bring the domestic total to 280 and became the first bank in Vietnam to apply artificial intelligence to credit card issuance.

Once again, Cambodia’s ABA Bank had a blistering year, growing total assets 60% in 2019 thanks to strong gains in its deposit and loan portfolios. Growth was facilitated by a $120 million equity injection from National Bank of Canada, which owns 100% of ABA. The bank continues to execute its strategy of focusing on digital finance products while retaining a stringent risk management policy. Net profit grew an impressive 54% in 2019.

Hana Bank is the main distribution channel for the numerous business lines of South Korea’s Hana Financial Group, which range from credit and debit cards, life insurance, asset trusts, savings and alternative investment asset management. Considerable synergy exists between these ventures. Hana reported net interest margin steady at 1.5% and delinquent loans continued their declining trend along with the cost-to-income ratio, which dropped 10% in the second quarter of 2019.

Maybank is Malaysia’s largest financial services group, with a presence throughout ASEAN, Greater China and as far afield as the US and UK. The bank offers conventional and Islamic banking services across commercial and investment banking, and insurance, as well as in wealth management, mortgages, auto financing and credit cards. Maybank Group’s brokerage arm, Maybank Kim Eng, meanwhile, engages in equity and bond underwriting, mergers and acquisitions, project finance and syndicated lending. For the sixth successive year, Maybank was rated A by MSCI ESG Research. In 2018 and 2019, it was the only Malaysian organization to be included in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index.

The Baiduri Bank in tiny Brunei operates with two wholly owned subsidiaries: Baiduri Finance, specializing in consumer financing; and Baiduri Capital, focusing on capital markets and trading. The bank has a strong international brand, thanks to collaborations with global and regional banks, and is recognized for innovation, dynamism and consistently strong metrics. Profit was once again impressive last year, growing 31%, while tier-one capital pushed up 5.4% from 2018.

Caucaucus and Central Asia

The International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) is the largest bank by assets in the South Caucasus, with a 34% market share. IBA successfully completed a debt restructuring in 2017 and has since strengthened its capital structure. It demonstrated a strong commitment to ESG with the establishment of the IBA Tech Academy, which offers free tuition to aspirants with their eye on an IT career. IBA reported 22.6% ROE growth last year, while tier-one capital rose 32% to 27%.

Kazakhstan’s ForteBank last year became a bank holding company, having completed the acquisition of Kassa Nova Bank and One Technologies, the latter deal demonstrating its commitment to fintech and digitization. Forte has launched some popular digital client services including ForteMarket, ForteKassa and VisaQR, focused on online retail, point of sale and QR code-validated payments. In 2019 the bank signed loan agreements with the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to facilitate an increase in its MSME lending.

Ghazanfar Bank, the financial services arm of the Ghazanfar Group, one of Afghanistan’s leading conglomerates, offers conventional and Islamic banking services, with branches throughout the country. Ghazanfar has earned recognition as a pioneer in shariah-compliant banking and for its commitment to corporate social responsibility, providing below-market-rate loans to women entrepreneurs and establishing social outreach programs.

Best Bet Asia Tip

Khan Bank became Mongolia’s first to hit a record 10 trillion Mongolian tughriks ($3.59 billion) in total assets in 2019 on 12% year-on-year growth, capturing 29% of banking system assets in the country. Strong metrics included 17.4% ROE and 22% capital adequacy ratio. Khan Bank has made a significant inroad into MSME lending: last year, 30% of its loan portfolio was devoted to the sector, up 8% from the previous year. The bank also started offering green loans to clients in 2019, in accordance with sustainability criteria.

In relatively well-banked Kyrgyzstan, Optima Bank leads the field by assets, with a 14.4% and 17% share of deposits and loans, respectively. A highlight last year was Optima’s signing, together with the EBRD, of a $20 million risk-sharing facility, running for four years, that will allow wider disbursement of loans to Kyrgyzstani MSMEs along with access to technical cooperation programs in such fields as financial management, IT development and production processes.

Asia Alliance Bank (AAB), which opened operations in Uzbekistan in 2009, is working to expand its operational scale and strengthen its financial stability, establishing cooperative partnerships with leading foreign banks and international financial institutions. Late last year, AAB signed a $10 million financing agreement with the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank to facilitate MSME lending, alongside an advisory agreement to launch an Islamic-financing window.