East West Banking Corporation (EastWest Bank) is setting its sights on another year of measured, double-digit expansion, projecting low- to mid-teen growth in assets and loans in 2026 after posting strong momentum last year.
While the bank has yet to release its full-year 2025 results, preliminary figures as of end-October point to sustained gains across key metrics. Net income rose 14 percent to PHP6.6 billion, revenues climbed 16 percent to PHP37.3 billion, and consumer lending expanded by a robust 17 percent.
The balance sheet also continued to strengthen. Total assets increased 11 percent to PHP552.9 billion, underpinned by a 12-percent rise in low-cost deposits, which reached PHP415.8 billion. The growing base of inexpensive funding has allowed the bank to scale its loan book without relying heavily on more expensive, long-term sources.
Chief executive officer Jerry Ngo said the bank’s loan growth has remained closely aligned with its funding expansion, a balance he described as critical to maintaining profitability and stability.
“The growth of our loan book was almost the same as the loan funding cycle. Low-cost is growing quite nicely also. So when you’re able to achieve that, it’s okay, rather than getting long-term fundings which you have to pay for the tenor premium,” Ngo told reporters on Wednesday night.
He added that the bank continues to manage its loan-to-deposit ratio within an ideal range of around 70 to 80 percent, signaling disciplined growth on both sides of the balance sheet.
“If my growth on both sides are approximating each other, then it’s a good growth. It’s robust,” Ngo said.
EastWest has followed the same growth playbook over the past three years and sees no need to pivot in the near term. For Ngo, consistency remains key, as the bank focuses on sustaining expansion over time rather than chasing short-term gains.