Stock Markets May 31, 2026 11:19 PM

DBS to Add 18 Wealth Centres Across Asia, Upgrade 36 More to Deepen Client Relationships

Bank plans the largest physical expansion of its wealth network, increasing Singapore Treasures footprint by half as AUM hits S$492 billion in Q1 2026

By Ajmal Hussain

DBS Group has announced plans to open 18 new wealth centres across six Asian markets by the end of 2027 and to upgrade 36 existing centres over the next 18 months. The expansion, spanning Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan, aims to strengthen adviser-client relationships rather than focus on routine transactions. DBS reported wealth assets under management of S$492 billion in the first quarter of 2026.

DBS to Add 18 Wealth Centres Across Asia, Upgrade 36 More to Deepen Client Relationships

Key Points

  • DBS will open 18 new wealth centres across Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan by end-2027 and upgrade 36 existing centres over the next 18 months - impacting retail wealth and private banking services.
  • Singapore's Treasures footprint will grow by 50% through the new openings; in Singapore and Hong Kong centres will mainly serve Treasures clients, while other markets will cover Treasures and Treasures Private Client segments - affecting advisory and client-servicing operations.
  • DBS reported wealth assets under management of S$492 billion in Q1 2026; the expansion is positioned as a growth strategy aligned with projected expansion of Asia's affluent wealth pool to $4.7 trillion in 2026.

DBS Group said it will undertake the largest physical expansion of its wealth franchise to date, opening 18 new wealth centres across Asia by the end of 2027 while upgrading 36 existing centres within the next 18 months.

The network growth will cover six markets - Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan - and is intended to support deeper adviser relationships rather than to serve as locations for routine transactions.

In Singapore specifically, the bank said its Treasures wealth centre footprint will expand by 50% as a direct result of the planned openings. In DBS' two biggest wealth markets, Singapore and Hong Kong, the centres will primarily serve Treasures clients. In other markets, the facilities will be available to both Treasures and the higher-tier Treasures Private Client segments.

DBS framed the expansion as a response to enduring client preferences for personal engagement. "What clients tell us… is that the relationship should feel personal, familiar and close to home," said Sanjoy Sen, group head of consumer banking.

The timing of the roll-out is phased. The first wave of openings is expected to begin in the third quarter, with additional launches scheduled through 2027. The bank described the initiative as part of its repositioning of the wealth franchise as a strategic growth engine for the business.

DBS cited broader market opportunity as a backdrop to the roll-out, noting that Asia's affluent wealth pool - defined as households with between $100,000 and $1 million in investible assets - is projected to reach $4.7 trillion in 2026. At the same time, the bank pointed to client behaviour studies in Hong Kong and Singapore that show roughly 45% of clients continue to meet advisers face-to-face despite a broader shift toward digital tools.

DBS also reported momentum in its wealth business, with wealth assets under management reaching S$492 billion in the first quarter of 2026.


Operational focus

  • The new and upgraded centres are designed to deepen client relationships rather than to replace digital or routine servicing channels.
  • Service segmentation is geographic: Treasures focus in Singapore and Hong Kong, and both Treasures and Treasures Private Client coverage elsewhere.
  • Roll-out begins from the third quarter and continues through 2027, with phased openings.

Financial context

DBS' wealth AUM of S$492 billion in Q1 2026 underlines the scale of the franchise that the bank is expanding. The bank also referenced market-size projections for affluent households in Asia to contextualise demand for advisory services.

Risks

  • Client preferences may continue shifting to digital channels - surveys note about 45% of clients in Hong Kong and Singapore still meet advisers face-to-face, implying potential variability in demand for physical centres - impacts wealth management and fintech adoption trends.
  • Phased roll-out across multiple markets introduces execution and timing uncertainty since the first wave starts in the third quarter and continues through 2027 - impacts operations and capital allocation for retail wealth services.

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