Singapore, at the heart of its success, is a strategic location coupled with a favorable regulatory environment, making it an essential actor on the global financial stage. The nation's banks drive the international markets, supporting global trade and economic activities.
Ensuring the vitality and reliability of this financial powerhouse is the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which provides a steadfast regulatory framework. This stringent system fortifies the sector's stability and integrity, underscoring Singapore's esteemed reputation as a secure and trustworthy financial hub.
In Singapore, banks’ licenses are categorized mainly based on the scope of their operations and the services they offer. These categories are defined and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank and financial regulatory authority.
Digital banking licenses
While digital banks offer the same banking services as traditional banks, they operate without a physical setup, enabling customers to control their finances from their computers or smartphones. MAS has awarded digital banking licenses to the following entities:
- A consortium of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) and Grab Holding Inc (Grab);
- Sea Limited;
- Trust Bank;
- Green Link Digital Bank;
- Ant Financial; and
- A consortium of Greenland Financial Holdings Group Co. Ltd, Linklogis Hong Kong Ltd, and Beijing Co-operative Equity Investment Fund Management Co. Ltd.
There are two types of digital banking licenses – digital full bank license (DFB) and digital wholesale bank license (DWB). The DFB license enables an entity to offer deposits, loans, and investment products through
its online platform. DFB license holders can only serve retail and corporate banking services while DWB license holders can only serve SME businesses.
What were the eligibility criteria to apply for the digital banking licenses?
Applicants for the DFB and DWB licenses met the following criteria:
- At least one entity of an applicant group had a track record of three years or more in the
e-commerce field or technology industry; - All key persons are fit and proper;
- Demonstrate the ability to meet the minimum paid capital at the onset and the minimum
capital funds required on an ongoing basis;- For DFB, the initial minimum, paid capital of S$15 million (US$11.1 million) before progressively raised to S$1.5 billion (US$1.11 billion); and
- For DWB, the paid-up capital of S$100 million (US$7.44 million).
- The sustainability of the digital bank’s business model (a five-year financial projection of the digital bank, which shows the path to profitability. The financial projection must be reviewed
by an independent expert); - Submission of a feasibility study for the orderly exit of the digital bank; and
- Shareholders of the digital bank must provide a letter of responsibility and a letter of undertaking in respect to the operations of the digital bank.
Specifically, for DFB licenses, the applicant must be ‘anchored’ in Singapore, controlled by Singaporeans, and headquartered in the country.
MAS also assesses whether the applicant can incorporate innovative technology to meet customer needs that differentiate it from existing banks, as well as the entity’s understanding of local regulatory compliance and risk management plans. Finally, MAS evaluates the growth prospects of the digital bank, such as its potential contribution to jobs, skills development of the local workforce, and regional expansion plans.
Ultimately, the emergence of digital banks will force traditional banks to accelerate the digitalization of their core business process and retraining their talent to brace for this change. The use of digital technologies, big data, and advanced analytics will be of huge significance for these banks in their efforts to continue to be the bank of choice for their customers.
List of bank names in Singapore
Full Banks
Local Full Banks
DBS Bank Ltd (Chairman)
OCBC Bank (First Vice Chairman)
United Overseas Bank Limited
Qualifying Full Banks (QFBs)
Bank of China Limited Singapore Branch
BNP Paribas
China Construction Bank Corporation
Citibank Singapore Limited
HSBC Bank (Singapore) Limited (Second Vice Chairman)
ICICI Bank Limited
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited Singapore Branch
Maybank Singapore Limited
Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore)
State Bank of India
Wholesale Banks
ABN Amro Clearing Bank N.V.
Agricultural Bank of China Limited
Arab Bank PLC
Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C.), Singapore Branch
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.
Banco Santander, S.A.
Bank J Safra Sarasin Ltd, Singapore Branch
Bank Julius Baer & Co Ltd
Bank of Baroda
Bank of Communications Co., Ltd
Bank of Montreal
Bank of New York Mellon, The
Bank of Nova Scotia, The
Bank of Taiwan
Bank Pictet & CIE (Asia) Limited
Barclays Bank PLC
BDO Unibank, Inc. Singapore
CA Indosuez (Switzerland) SA, Singapore Branch
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Cathay United Bank, Singapore Branch
Chang Hwa Commercial Bank Limited
China CITIC Bank International Limited
China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd
Clearstream Banking S.A. Singapore Branch
Commerzbank AG
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Credit Industriel ET Commercial
Credit Suisse AG
CTBC Bank Co., Ltd
Deutsche Bank AG, Singapore Branch
DNB Bank ASA
DZ Bank AG Singapore Branch
E.SUN Commercial Bank, Ltd.
EFG Bank AG Singapore Branch
Emirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C) Singapore Branch
First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC Singapore branch
First Commercial Bank
Habib Bank Limited
Hang Seng Bank Limited
Hua Nan Commercial Bank Ltd
ICBC Standard Bank PLC Singapore Branch
ING Bank N.V., Singapore Branch
Intesa Sanpaolo SPA
KBC Bank N.V.
KEB Hana Bank, Singapore Branch
Kookmin Bank Co., Ltd. Singapore Branch
Korea Development Bank, The
Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited
Land Bank of Taiwan
Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg (LBBW)
Macquarie Bank Limited Singapore Branch
Mega International Commercial Bank Co., Ltd
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
Morgan Stanley Bank Asia Limited
National Australia Bank Limited
National Bank of Kuwait S.A.K. P. Singapore Branch
Natixis
NatWest Markets PLC
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
Norinchukin Bank, The
Northern Trust Company, The
Philippine National Bank
PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) TBK
PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, Singapore Branch
Qatar National Bank (Q.P.S.C.)
Rabobank Singapore
Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Singapore Branch
Royal Bank of Canada
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co. Ltd, Singapore Branch
Shinhan Bank
Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited, The
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ)
Societe Generale
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited Singapore Branch
Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co., Ltd
Taishin International Bank Co. Ltd
The Bank of Yokohama, Ltd. Singapore Branch
The Iyo Bank, Ltd., Singapore Branch
The Saudi National Bank Singapore Branch
The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, Ltd. Singapore Branch
Toronto-Dominion Bank, The
UBS AG
UniCredit Bank AG
Union Bancaire Privee, UBP SA Singapore Branch
Union de Banques Arabes et Francaises
VP Bank Ltd Singapore Branch
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
Westpac Banking Corporation
Woori Bank
Merchant Banks
Axis Bank Limited, Singapore Branch
Bordier & CIE (Singapore) Ltd
Daiwa Capital Markets Singapore Limited
KEXIM Global (Singapore) Ltd.
KfW IPEX-Bank Asia Ltd.
LGT Bank (Singapore) Ltd
Lombard Odier (Singapore) Ltd
Nomura Singapore Limited
Resona Merchant Bank Asia Limited
Schroder & Co. (Asia) Limited
Siemens Bank GmbH Singapore Branch
Representative Office
Bank Central Asia
Euroclear Bank
Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam
Zürcher Kantonalbank
Digital Banks
Digital Wholesale Banks
Anext Bank Pte. Ltd.
Green Link Digital Bank Pte. Ltd.
