CBC plans to raise its annual technology spending to more than $771mn, according to Bloomberg, as Singapore’s second-largest lender leans harder into AI and digital banking. The increase marks one of the first strategic signals from Tan Teck Long, who took over as group chief executive on 1 January 2026.
Tan succeeded Helen Wong, who retired at the end of 2025 after steering the bank through an earlier phase of digital investment.
The reported figure of roughly $771mn sits close to the S$1bn mark in local currency terms, a threshold OCBC has flagged in various technology commitments over recent years.
The bank has said it will use 2026 to embed AI, digital and data more deeply across customer journeys, according to its 2025 annual report.
The stated aim is to build scale, personalise services and wring out cost efficiencies, the familiar trio of justifications for a rising bank technology bill.
