OCB updates on its Green and Digital Bank strategy

At the 2026 annual general meeting held on April 15, shareholders of Orient Commercial Bank (OCB) questioned the bank’s leadership about its development strategy for the coming period, with a focus on Green and Digital initiatives.

Green and Digital Bank strategy: priorities for the next period

Pham Hong Hai, CEO of OCB, said the Green Bank strategy, including green lending, remains a core focus. He noted that, building on OCB’s strategic partnership with the IFC and other international financial institutions, the bank is gradually enhancing its green banking governance framework and strengthening ESG integration into lending, risk management, and the development of sustainable finance products.

Green lending targets and international cooperation

On the share of green loans in total outstanding loans, OCB aims to maintain growth and keep the ratio higher than the sector average. The bank plans to expand into areas including green construction, sustainable agriculture, and energy-efficient usage, alongside its traditional renewable energy focus.

OCB currently maintains green lending at about 9–10% of total lending (10.7% in 2025), which it described as significantly above market level, while continuing to record positive growth.

For financing through international institutions, OCB said it has been accessing mid- to long-term capital and technical support from organizations such as the IFC and DEG. The bank also said it is continually raising ESG standards and strengthening environmental and social risk management and green financing capabilities. Through the IFC’s Green Bank transformation advisory program, OCB said it has strengthened governance and expanded its green lending potential.

In the coming period, OCB plans to explore further cooperation with international development institutions to diversify green funding, enhance its capacity to structure sustainable financial products, and gradually approach new funding forms such as sustainability-linked loans when market conditions are favorable.

New digital and customer-focused product initiatives

OCB outlined several new initiatives under its digital strategy:

• OCB Smart Merchant: A comprehensive payment solution package for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, integrating payment methods and management tools on a single platform. It supports sales management, revenue and cash flow tracking, inventory management, and automatic issuance of electronic invoices in line with current tax regulations. Customers can accept payments via QR, Soundbox, POS, and modern methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Online registration is stated as 100%.
• 360-degree product package: A tailored package that allows customers to choose financial products and services combined with lifestyle benefits (Travel, Health, Mom & Baby…). Customers can flexibly switch or cancel the package at any time.
• Overdraft and consumer loan products: Limits up to VND 1 billion, with 100% online registration on the OCB OMNI app. OCB said the process requires no income proof and no complex documentation. With a chipped citizen ID, overdraft credit can be registered and approved within 30 minutes.
• New card line: Personalizes the user experience from design to usage. Cardholders can create card designs via drag-and-drop on mobile screens, with cards printed per individual. The card includes flexible security settings, choice of benefits, and flexible installment options, supported by Cashback Wallet for an end-to-end experience from onboarding to spending, benefits, and protection.
• Digitized registration for investment products: OCB said it plans to help customers register online for products such as bonds or foreign exchange with digitized documentation steps, requiring customers to visit the counter only at the final step to save time and costs.
• New CRM and Sales App: A plan to deploy a new CRM and Sales App to increase the care and sales capability of the sales force by understanding customer behavior and needs and serving quickly at the right moment.

2026 business plan targets and management response

OCB set targets for the end of 2026, including total assets of VND 354.214 trillion (up 10% from the start of the year), total deposits (Market 1) of VND 251.919 trillion (up 14%), and Market 1 loans of VND 235.875 trillion (up 15%). The bank also set pre-tax profit at VND 6.960 trillion (up 39% from 2025) and said charter capital will rise 15% to VND 30.625 trillion.

To achieve these targets, OCB said it will focus on improving operating efficiency; boosting credit growth in strategic segments while controlling quality; increasing non-interest income through comprehensive financial solutions; and using digitization and operational optimization to enhance customer experience and staff productivity.

In response to shareholders’ concerns about a challenging economic environment and whether the growth targets are feasible, management said the bank has a solid foundation and multiple reasons to believe it will achieve the targets.