Cathay Group strives to create green and sustainable financial bridges in Vietnam

After more than 20 years of presence in Vietnam, Cathay Financial Group has gradually reinforced its long-term investment commitment and sustainable development strategy in this high-potential market. Through Cathay United Bank (CUB), Cathay Life Vietnam and Cathay Insurance Vietnam, the Group has continued expanding its operations toward building a comprehensive financial ecosystem while serving as a bridge for green finance between Vietnam and the region.

Leading position in Taiwan

Ms. Ya-Jou Chang, Senior Vice President of Cathay Group, shared that in its domestic market, Cathay is one of the four largest financial groups in Taiwan, serving more than 15 million customers, equivalent to over half of the population. The Group’s ecosystem spans banking, life insurance, non-life insurance and asset management, with total assets reaching approximately USD 468 billion.

Cathay United Bank (CUB) is currently the second-largest private bank in Taiwan, managing around USD 161 billion in assets and positioned as a strategic financial bridge between East Asia and Southeast Asia. In the insurance sector, Cathay Life remains the biggest life insurer in Taiwan, serving more than 8 million customers, managing around 20 million active policies and holding approximately USD 288 billion in total assets. Its Risk-Based Capital (RBC) ratio remained at a strong level of approximately 328% in 2025, significantly exceeding regulatory requirements.

Cathay Insurance, with more than 30 years of development, also recorded stable annual growth of over 7% during the 2021–2025 period. Its diversified product portfolio includes motor insurance as a key segment, alongside fire, accident and health insurance products.

Expanding sustainably across Asia and Vietnam

Since the early 2000s, Cathay has accelerated its expansion across Asia with operations in China, Hong Kong and nine Southeast Asian countries, while also receiving approval to establish branches in India and Japan. Within its regional strategy, Vietnam is considered a key market thanks to its growing role in the global value chain, strong economic growth and significant digital transformation potential.

In Vietnam, Cathay is not only expanding its business operations but also positioning itself as a strategic partner by sharing expertise in data governance, digital transformation and sustainable finance developed in Taiwan. Its sustainable finance portfolio continues to expand, including green loans for water treatment and distribution projects, LEED-certified green buildings, and sustainability-linked loans (SLL) for manufacturing, logistics and data center businesses.

One notable project is the syndicated loan of more than USD 107 million for the BIM wind power project in Ninh Thuan, with a capacity of 88MW and annual renewable electricity output of approximately 39GWh. The project was jointly financed by CUB, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and international financial institutions, demonstrating Cathay’s role in connecting international capital flows to clean energy initiatives in Vietnam.

Alongside financial activities, Cathay has also implemented long-term social responsibility programs. The “Elevated Tree Program” has continued for more than 17 years, supporting over 22,000 students with total funding exceeding VND 13 billion, contributing to the development of future human resources.

According to Mr. VJ Lu, Chief Executive Officer of Cathay United Bank, Ho Chi Minh City Branch, digital transformation remains a core pillar in Cathay’s strategy in Vietnam. CUB has pioneered a fully digital end-to-end lending process through the CUB Vietnam App, which has recorded more than 5.7 million downloads and nearly 790,000 registered users.

In the insurance sector, solutions such as electronic contracts, mobile insurance claims processing and AI Coach for advisor training have contributed to improving customer experience and operational efficiency.

Cathay Life Vietnam, operating since 2008, currently serves more than 500,000 customers through a nationwide network of 120 business locations, supported by approximately 2,400 advisors and more than 260,000 active insurance policies. Meanwhile, Cathay Insurance Vietnam has maintained compound annual growth of over 20%, with operations in six major cities and management of nearly 870,000 individual policies alongside more than 48,000 corporate policies.

With strong financial foundations, a clear ESG strategy and a strong digital transformation direction, Cathay is steadily reinforcing its role as a green finance bridge between Vietnam and the region, accompanying the market on its journey toward sustainable growth and deeper integration.