🇸🇬OCBC

Concept

OCBC is Singapore's second-largest bank by assets and one of the country's three systemically important banking groups. In 2025, market capitalization stands at approximately US$80 billion, wealth management AUM at approximately US$270 billion (S$342 billion), and 2025 net profit at approximately US$5.8 billion / S$7.42 billion. The wealth division includes private banking, premier private client, premier banking, Great Eastern insurance, asset management, and brokerage.

The group operates as a universal bank: retail OCBC Bank, Bank of Singapore as the UHNW sub-brand, Great Eastern Holdings, OCBC Securities, OCBC Asset Management, OCBC China, OCBC Wing Hang Hong Kong, and operations across 19+ markets. Within this architecture, clients can integrate personal wealth, corporate banking, insurance, brokerage accounts, and real estate financing.

🍓 Typical OCBC ladder: Premier Banking from S$350K → Premier Private Client from S$1.5M (with Accredited Investor status) → Bank of Singapore from US$5M+. Seamless continuity: a single group relationship can cover an operating company, family mortgage, Universal Life insurance, brokerage execution, and private bank mandate.

Regulation and Group Structure

OCBC Bank is a Full Bank in Singapore under MAS with ratings of Moody's Aa1 / S&P AA- / Fitch AA-. Key subsidiary blocks are regulated separately:

• Bank of Singapore — separate Singapore-incorporated Full Bank licence under MAS;
• Great Eastern Holdings — insurance group under MAS and local regulators in Malaysia and Indonesia;
• OCBC China — wholly-owned subsidiary under NFRA;
• OCBC Wing Hang in Hong Kong — under HKMA;
• OCBC Malaysia and OCBC Indonesia — under local banking regulators.

The separate Bank of Singapore licence isolates private banking risks from OCBC's retail balance sheet while maintaining access to group infrastructure: corporate banking, OCBC Home Loans, Great Eastern, OCBC Securities, and trustee services.

Wealth Business Growth After 2020

Singapore's wealth boom following the introduction of VCC, Section 13O / 13U, and GIP Option C strengthened all three local banking groups. OCBC benefited through UHNW consolidation at Bank of Singapore after Credit Suisse's exit and the 2016 acquisition of Barclays Asia Wealth.

Group AUM grew from approximately US$200B in 2020 to approximately US$270B in 2025. Sunny Quek, Head of Global Consumer Financial Services, publicly stated the goal to double the wealth business by 2029.

Products and Client Scenarios

Premier Private Client

Intermediate segment S$1.5M–5M: personal RM, investment specialist, Wealth Advisory Manager, OCBC RoboInvest, advisory portfolios, structured deposits, and DPM from USD/SGD 250K. Below DBS TPC entry threshold, convenient for clients seeking managed portfolios without full private banking.

Great Eastern

OCBC's insurance subsidiary since 1908. Universal Life policies, premium financing, VHIS policies, and takaful through Great Eastern Takaful. The integration is particularly useful for families with Malaysia or Indonesia in their profile.

Securities and Asset Management

OCBC Securities — access to SGX, NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, ASX, Bursa Malaysia, IDX, SET, and HOSE. OCBC Asset Management — ASEAN equity and ASEAN bond allocation.

Real Estate

OCBC Home Loans and property financing in Singapore, London Zones 1–2, Hong Kong, and Sydney through the Bank of Singapore + OCBC integration.

Family Office and Trust

Through Bank of Singapore and OCBC Trustee, clients gain access to trust structuring, PTC, MAS 13O / 13U coordination, succession planning, and family office support. For a fund or SFO, this is more convenient than a separate Swiss platform if the center of life and assets is in Asia.

Sanctions and Russian Clients

OCBC applies strict sanctions screening. Residents of Russia / Belarus typically receive rejections. UBOs with residency in non-sanctioned jurisdictions and clean Source of Wealth are considered individually, but primary wealth onboarding goes through Bank of Singapore. This policy is closer to HSBC Private than to the more flexible DBS Private Bank.

When OCBC Is Appropriate and When It Is Not

Suitable

• Clients needing a group solution: personal wealth, operating company, family mortgage, insurance, brokerage, and Asian family office structure.
• Families with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China / Hong Kong exposure.
• Founders or SME owners needing Premier Private Client before transitioning to Bank of Singapore.
• Clients using Great Eastern as part of estate liquidity planning.

Not Suitable

• Boutique UHNW with open architecture and European presence — go directly to Bank of Singapore.
• Family office under GIP Option C — DBS Private Bank with WPFOIS is more precise.
• ASEAN onshore network as primary factor — UOB Private Bank.
• Residents of Russia / Belarus without structural separation from the Russian economic sphere.

Q/A

What is Accredited Investor at OCBC

MAS criterion for access to certain wealth products: net financial assets above S$1M, net personal assets above S$2M, or income above S$300K over 12 months. Clients sign a self-declaration and confirm status with documentation.

When Premier Private Client vs. Bank of Singapore

Premier Private Client is suitable at S$1.5–5M with focus on advisory, DPM, and basic wealth planning. Bank of Singapore — from US$5M+, when family office advisory, trust, open architecture investments, and UHNW booking are needed.

How does OCBC differ from DBS and UOB

DBS is stronger in family office, WPFOIS, and Singapore–Hong Kong–India integration. UOB is the ASEAN onshore bank with subsidiaries in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. OCBC stands out through the Bank of Singapore + Great Eastern + retail / mortgage infrastructure integration.

What does Great Eastern offer for UHNW

Universal Life policies for estate liquidity, premium financing against policies, VHIS, takaful products for families with Malaysia or Indonesia in their profile. Within the single OCBC group, banking, insurance, and investments are all covered.

Does OCBC accept Russian clients

Residents of Russia / Belarus — rejection. UBOs with residency in non-sanctioned jurisdictions (UAE, SG, HK, EU, UK) and clean Source of Wealth are considered individually through Bank of Singapore. Screening strictness is closer to HSBC Private Singapore.

How does OCBC work with GIP Option C

GIP Option C — family office with AUM ≥ S$200M and deployment ≥ S$50M in Singapore investments. OCBC through Bank of Singapore services SFOs under GIP. For GIP Option C, DBS Private Bank is often stronger in WPFOIS direction, but Bank of Singapore is competitive in open architecture portfolios.

Related Topics

• Bank of Singapore — OCBC's UHNW sub-brand
• DBS Bank, DBS Private Bank
• UOB Private Bank
• HSBC Singapore, Standard Chartered Singapore, Citi Singapore
• Section 13O / 13U, VCC
• Singapore GIP and Permanent Residence
• Premium Financing Singapore, Universal Life Singapore

FAQ

What is Accredited Investor at OCBC

MAS criterion for access to certain wealth products: net financial assets above S$1M, net personal assets above S$2M, or income above S$300K over 12 months. Clients sign a self-declaration and confirm status with documentation.

When Premier Private Client vs. Bank of Singapore

Premier Private Client is suitable at S$1.5–5M with focus on advisory, DPM, and basic wealth planning. Bank of Singapore — from US$5M+, when family office advisory, trust, open architecture investments, and UHNW booking are needed.

What does Great Eastern offer for UHNW

Universal Life policies for estate liquidity, premium financing against policies, VHIS, takaful products for families with Malaysia or Indonesia in their profile. Within the single OCBC group, banking, insurance, and investments are all covered.

How does OCBC work with GIP Option C

GIP Option C — family office with AUM ≥ S$200M and deployment ≥ S$50M in Singapore investments. OCBC through Bank of Singapore services SFOs under GIP. For GIP Option C, DBS Private Bank is often stronger in WPFOIS direction, but Bank of Singapore is competitive in open architecture portfolios.

Key factual claims

• The group operates as a universal bank: retail OCBC Bank, Bank of Singapore as the UHNW sub-brand, Great Eastern Holdings, OCBC Securities, OCBC Asset Management, OCBC China, OCBC Wing Hang Hong Kong, and operations across 19+ markets.
• OCBC Bank is a Full Bank in Singapore under MAS with ratings of Moody's Aa1 / S&P AA- / Fitch AA-.
• Singapore's wealth boom following the introduction of VCC, Section 13O / 13U, and GIP Option C strengthened all three local banking groups.
• Group AUM grew from approximately US$200B in 2020 to approximately US$270B in 2025.
• Through Bank of Singapore and OCBC Trustee, clients gain access to trust structuring, PTC, MAS 13O / 13U coordination, succession planning, and family office support.