Standard Chartered aims for approximately 18 per cent RoTE through expanded wealth management and digital investment

credit: Standard Chartered Bank

(IN BRIEF) Standard Chartered has announced a new long-term growth strategy targeting approximately 18 per cent return on tangible equity by 2030 as the bank focuses on expanding its cross-border banking, wealth management and corporate finance operations. The plan includes stronger investment in technology, artificial intelligence and affluent banking while aiming to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate earnings growth. The bank also plans to strengthen its position in key areas including sustainable finance, Islamic finance and international trade banking as global financial complexity and demand for cross-border services continue to increase.

(PRESS RELEASE) HONG KONG, 20-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Standard Chartered has unveiled a new long-term growth strategy focused on strengthening profitability, improving operational efficiency and expanding its position as a leading cross-border banking institution, while targeting a return on tangible equity (RoTE) of approximately 18 per cent by 2030.

The bank said the strategy is designed to capitalise on increasing global economic interconnectedness, rising financial complexity and growing demand for cross-border banking services. The plan follows the bank’s achievement of its previous 2026 medium-term financial targets one year ahead of schedule, positioning the organisation for what it described as its next stage of growth and transformation.

Group Chief Executive Bill Winters said the strategy is built around Standard Chartered’s ability to combine international network strength with specialised product capabilities to help clients manage increasingly complex global financial activity. He noted that the bank intends to continue investing in areas where it believes it has sustainable competitive advantages and strong long-term growth potential.

As part of its updated financial roadmap, Standard Chartered aims to achieve a RoTE above 15 per cent by 2028 before increasing that figure to around 18 per cent by 2030. The bank is also targeting high-teen earnings per share compound annual growth between 2025 and 2028 alongside income growth of between five and seven per cent during the same period.

The strategy includes a strong focus on operational productivity and cost discipline. Standard Chartered plans to reduce its cost-to-income ratio to approximately 57 per cent by 2028, down from 63 per cent in 2025, while increasing income generated per employee by around 20 per cent. The bank also intends to reduce corporate function roles by more than 15 per cent by 2030 as part of broader workforce optimisation and efficiency initiatives.

Technology and automation are expected to play a central role in the transformation programme. The bank said it plans to expand the practical use of automation, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to streamline operations, improve internal decision-making processes and enhance customer service capabilities.

Wealth management remains a major growth focus for the bank. Standard Chartered stated that it has become the third-largest and fastest-growing wealth manager in Asia and plans to accelerate previously announced targets within its Wealth & Retail Banking division. The business now aims to reach USD 200 billion in net new money by 2028 while increasing affluent client income to represent 75 per cent of the segment’s total revenue.

The bank also plans to further integrate parts of its retail banking activities in Hong Kong with digital banking platform Mox, supporting the development of future affluent banking customers while expanding Mox’s scale and digital reach.

Within Corporate & Investment Banking, Standard Chartered plans to continue leveraging its international network to support clients navigating shifting supply chains, capital flows and increasingly fragmented global trade environments. The bank highlighted areas such as sustainable finance, Islamic finance and RMB-related business as strategic priorities where it intends to strengthen market leadership.

Standard Chartered also reaffirmed its capital management targets, including operating within a CET1 ratio range of 13 to 14 per cent and maintaining a through-the-cycle loan loss ratio of between 30 and 35 basis points. The bank said it aims to support a dividend payout ratio of at least 30 per cent while maintaining progressive dividend growth over time.

The strategy reflects the bank’s broader ambition to position itself as a leading “super-connector” institution serving internationally active corporate, institutional and affluent clients across fast-growing global markets.

Details of the Investor Event will be available on sc.com/investorevent.

For further information please contact:
Robbie Sommerville
Global Head, Corporate Communications
+44 7990 784478

Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 54 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X(Opens in a new window), LinkedIn(Opens in a new window), Instagram(Opens in a new window) and Facebook(Opens in a new window).

SOURCE: Standard Chartered