Maybank, CIMB, GXBank win top honours at Asean banking awards

SHAH ALAM - Maybank, CIMB and GXBank were among the Malaysian banks recognised for their performance in customer experience and digital banking at the Twimbit Banking Summit and Awards 2026.

Maybank won Best Banking Experience and Most Inclusive Bank, while CIMB took home Best App Experience and Best Onboarding Experience at the event held at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur on Oct 28.

GXBank was named Malaysia's Best Digital Bank.

The awards recognised financial institutions across Southeast Asia for their achievements in digital innovation and customer experience.

The event also brought together banking leaders and technology experts to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in banking, including its potential to improve customer service and streamline operations.

The summit also saw the launch of Twimbit’s The State of Asean Banking CX 2026 report, which assesses customer experience across 44 traditional and digital banks in six Asean countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The report looks at how banks can improve customer experience across four areas: digital services, customer service, brand and employee experience.

Twimbit senior vice-president Shivanu Shukla said technology alone would not determine the future of banking, as institutions also needed to prioritise customer needs and trust.

"As AI reshapes how banks operate and engage with customers, the real differentiator will be the ability to deliver more meaningful experiences while keeping trust, accountability and the human element at the heart of transformation.

"Banks that bring these elements together will be better positioned to build lasting customer relationships and compete in an increasingly dynamic market," he said.

Meanwhile, Genesys Asia vice president Mao Gen Foo said banks needed to understand customers' needs rather than focus solely on response speed.

"Banking is entering a new era where customer experience will be defined not by how quickly an institution responds, but by how well it understands what a customer is trying to accomplish and helps them reach that outcome.

"Banks that pair intelligent orchestration with strong governance and human expertise will be better positioned to strengthen customer loyalty and improve operational efficiency,” he said.