During the awards ceremony held in Singapore on 23/4, HLB was recognized as one of the best SME customer experience banks in Southeast Asia. This award celebrates digital transformation and customer experience initiatives within the finance and banking industry.

Additionally, the bank also received accolades for Best Digital Bank and Best SME Customer Experience Bank in Vietnam.

Hong Leong Bank Vietnam won three categories at the Digital CX Awards. Photo: HLB

An HLB representative stated that these results reflect the bank's efforts to upgrade its business ecosystem, including a partnership with the So Ban Hang platform. This solution allows business households to open bank accounts directly via the So Ban Hang application, simplifying operations and enabling them to focus on business development.

The solution also connects bank accounts with automated and rapid accounting and e-invoice services, helping business households comply with tax regulations and optimizing paperwork and complex manual bookkeeping processes.

Kevin Lam, Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of Hong Leong Bank Berhad, noted that the bank focuses on developing financial solutions based on the actual needs of customers, particularly business households and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

"With our 'Built Around You' philosophy, we develop solutions based on actual user experience. The combination of digital technology and dedicated service helps Hong Leong Bank become a trusted financial partner, accompanying customers in securing their financial future," Lam emphasized.

Recently, Hong Leong Bank Vietnam has actively optimized customer experience through integration with the National Population Database and eKYC technology. This has reduced the time required to open a payment account by 80%, from 300 seconds to approximately 80 seconds, allowing customers to use services almost immediately. This is considered a significant improvement in the bank's digital transformation strategy.

Building on over 120 years of operation and the group's global network in Malaysia, HLB is shifting towards greater flexibility to meet the diverse and evolving needs of its customers.

Fred Lim, Head of Digital Business and Transaction Banking at Hong Leong Bank Berhad, said: "These awards are a testament to our commitment to being a strategic partner that always stands with our customers."

Fred Lim, Head of Digital Business and Transaction Banking at Hong Leong Bank Berhad, at The Digital Banker Digital CX Awards 2026 ceremony in Singapore. Photo: HLB

"Understanding the dynamic nature of the Vietnamese market, we develop flexible financial solutions tailored to businesses' real needs. Hong Leong Bank Vietnam aims to partner with customers in expanding their businesses and managing assets, creating a solid foundation for long-term growth."

Hong Leong Bank Berhad is an active participant in Malaysia's SME banking sector, having been repeatedly recognized as a "Best SME Bank" by international organizations. The bank has received awards from The Asian Banker for six consecutive years and has been acknowledged twice by Euromoney.

A bank representative stated it will continue to focus on supporting small businesses and SMEs in its operating markets through financial management solutions and strategic consulting, aiming for sustainable development.

Minh Ngoc

Readers can find more information about Hong Leong Bank Vietnam here.