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The lender also plans to buy an investment bank in Asia.

Vietnam will develop credit card payment services with the aim of reducing the quantity of cash in circulation to 11 percent by 2015. It will also strive to increase the number of bank account holders to 35-40 percent of the population. The targets were set in a Prime Minister-approved project to accelerate non-cash payment services. To meet the targets, the banking system will diversify card payment services, with a primary focus on developing pay points. It aims to install 250,000 card payment machines to increase the number of transactions to 200 million a year by 2015.

The acquisitionof  Kim Eng Holdings and growth potential of Bank Internasional Indonesia will bring regional growth for Maybank. OSK Research said the bank's latest quarter net profit year-on-year growth of 25.1 per cent and quarter-on-quarter growth of 11.4 per cent, respectively, far outpaced the industry's aggregate of 15.6 per cent and 8.2 per cent, respectively. "Its earnings were propelled by an industry-beating loans growth of 17.6 per cent, y-o-y, the hefty 62.1 per cent drop in loans loss provision and maiden contribution from Kim Eng," OSK Research said in a note today. It said BII was also aggressively expanding via new hiring and enlarging its branch network by 43 per cent over the next one-and-a-half years. The research firm said BII's operating leverage would begin to flow through by financial year 2012 and financial year 2013 on a more stable cost base while generate new revenue from its enlarged presence. For the source of this story, click here.

Shares of China's five biggest banks lost an average 22% in 2011 on concerns that a record two-year credit boom may unravel and lead to rising bad debts.

MB Bank became the fourth Vietnamese bank operating in Cambodia and brings the total number of the kingdom's commercial banks to 31.

ICBC launch of bill pool service nationwide specially for corporate clients who demand for cash management service.

Malaysia would open up its banking sector to more foreign investment to put the economy back on investors' radar ahead of general elections expected in 2012.

CIMB Group will introduce new Islamic products in Indonesia and Singapore this year through its Islamic units in the two countries.

Maybank has opened a new branch at Stung Meanchey, in Phnom Penh, to expand its network in Cambodia to 11.

Malaysian banking's performance is likely to be moderate next year in line with the economy.

Lone Star's qualification to hold more than a 4 percent stake in Korea Exchange Bank is under review.

Bank Mandiri allocated US$439 million for its customers' needs during Christmas and New Year.

This is part of HSBC's strategy to cut $3.5b annual costs.

Vietnamese banks are indeed looking to foreign investors for capital support.

But it is yet to have the central bank and finance ministry's approval for the bid.

Requirements have been relaxed for Indonesia's state-run Bank Mandiri to operate in Malaysia by the end of next year.