CIMB Group is accelerating its pivot from a traditional credit powerhouse to an AUM-driven wealth leader. Under its Forward30 strategy, the Group has committed to doubling its Wealth Assets Under Management (AUM) by 2030, leveraging a regional affluent population that is projected to comprise nearly 70% of ASEAN by the end of the decade.
The “Alpha” isn’t just the expansion, it’s the CASA-Wealth Flywheel. By deepening relationships with high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, CIMB is securing a low-cost, stable funding base. As of December 2025, the Group’s CASA ratio reached 42.7%, providing a formidable “war chest” to sustain its Non-Interest Income (NOII) targets of 33%–34%.
The “JS-SEZ” and Singapore Hub Synergy
The launch of CIMB Private Wealth in Malaysia (mid-2026) follows the successful January rollout in Indonesia. However, the true strategic differentiator is the Singapore-Johor bridge.
- The Twinning Model: CIMB is positioning its Singapore operations as the “Global Treasury” for clients scaling within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
- Corporate-to-HNW Conversion: By offering seamless cross-border financing for firms in the JS-SEZ, CIMB is capturing the “intergenerational wealth” of the entrepreneurs behind these businesses.
Editor’s Take: The Islamic Wealth Moat
CIMB’s dominance in Shariah-compliant wealth remains its most defensible advantage. With Islamic wealth segments in Malaysia and Indonesia currently outpacing conventional growth, the Group’s “advisory-led” approach, powered by a dedicated Chief Investment Office (CIO) and AI-enabled insights, is designed to capture the structural shift toward “values-based” investing. This is a targeted strike against global private banks that lack the deep local Islamic banking “plumbing” that CIMB has spent decades perfecting.