Is Maybank profitable in 2026?

Yes. Maybank's FY2025 group net profit rose 4.2% year on year to RM10.51 billion (from RM10.08 billion in FY2024), reported 26 February 2026. However Q1 FY2026 net profit fell 4.2% y/y to RM2.48 billion, missing consensus of about RM2.73 billion, due to weaker trading income.

Maybank is majority state-linked. Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), Malaysia's state fund manager, held a total 52.22% stake (direct plus via Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera) as of end-June 2025, with EPF reported selling down its position around the same time, per The Edge Malaysia, 14 July 2026.

Could AI replace Maybank?

No. Maybank holds a Bank Negara Malaysia deposit-taking license and bears regulatory liability that AI cannot assume. Instead Maybank deploys AI into its own operations, launching an AI wealth advisory tool called Advisor Assist for relationship managers, built with Evooq, in June 2026.

Is Maybank cutting jobs?

Group headcount fell to 43,372 employees as of 31 December 2025, down 745 people (-1.69%) year on year, according to company filing data, alongside a RM10 billion five-year tech investment plan (ROAR30) launched January 2026 that modernizes branch and digital operations.

Who is Maybank's biggest competitor?

Domestically, CIMB Group, Public Bank Berhad and RHB Bank contest Maybank's Malaysian market position, per a Kenanga peer comparison dated 21 January 2026. Digital-only entrants like GXBank and fintech lender Funding Societies are also nibbling at deposit and SME-loan share, though not yet at scale.

Is Maybank a good dividend stock?

Maybank's dividend yield was running around 5.7 to 6% as of 20 July 2026, per i3investor data, alongside a 33 sen per share dividend declared with its Q4 FY2025 results (25 February 2026), reflecting its mature, cash-generative incumbent bank profile.

Insurance companies · Malaysia

Maybank

maybank.com ↗

Malaysia's largest bank, with branches across all 10 ASEAN countries.

Hard to displace

Assessed 25 July 2026 · Evidence as of 25 July 2026

Strong structural protection; the business model survives ai pressure.

On the recordSince 25 July 2026 · Checkable from late August 2026 · Every call on the record Checkpoint: Q2 FY2026 earnings release, testing whether the Q1 profit miss was one-off

The call

Maybank still holds Malaysia's biggest deposit base and license, while digital-only rivals chip at the edges of retail and SME lending.

Maybank takes deposits, makes loans, and runs insurance across 10 Southeast Asian countries from 2,600 branch locations. It is hard to replace because banking requires a government license, customers trust it with their savings, and it holds 65+ years of data on millions of people; no startup or AI can legally do what it does or build that trust overnight. The main thing to watch is whether its profit dipped in early 2026 for temporary reasons or signals a real slowdown, plus how fast it can shift customers to its digital platform without losing fee income.

Why

AI pressure: AI-driven digital banks and fintech lenders (e.g. GXBank, Funding Societies). AI underwriting lets digital lenders price unsecured loans faster, but they still need a license and balance sheet to take deposits. Could AI do the core job? Unlikely.

Bigger players: GXBank (Grab-Singtel digital bank license). Backed by Grab and Singtel, GXBank is rolling out digital deposits and lending in Malaysia, aiming at retail and SME customers Maybank serves. Could a giant copy it? No, they are blocked.

What protects it. A Bank Negara Malaysia deposit license, 52% state-linked ownership via PNB, and Asia's largest Islamic banking franchise.

What would change this call

GXBank or Funding Societies publish deposit/loan volumes showing visible share gains by 2028. Would show digital-only banks pulling depositors or SME borrowers from Maybank.
Maybank Q2/Q3 FY2026 earnings (Aug, Nov 2026) confirm profit decline persists beyond one quarter. Would show Q1 FY2026 profit miss is a sustained trend, not one-off trading income noise.
ROAR30 tech overhaul and MAE-app replacement rollout stumbles or delays through 2026-2027. Would show execution risk in Maybank's own digital transformation weakening its moat.

Key numbers

FY2025 group net profit: RM10.51bn, up 4.2% y/y (2025-12-31)
Q1 FY2026 net profit fell 4.2% y/y to RM2.48bn (2026-03-31)
Q1 FY2026 net interest margin rose to 2.14% (2026-03-31)

Named risks

Q1 FY2026 profit miss (-4.2% y/y) on weak trading income could signal a sustained margin trend. Severity: medium
Execution risk on ROAR30's RM10bn five-year tech spend and MAE app replacement. Severity: medium
Malaysia's QR code payment network phase-out by June 2028 could hit Scan & Pay unit economics. Severity: medium
Digital-only banks and fintech SME lenders could erode deposit or loan share over time. Severity: low
Group headcount decline (-1.69% in 2025) amid large-scale digital transformation. Severity: low

Rivals, as read in July 2026

Rival	Direction	Evidence
CIMB Group, Public Bank, RHB Bank	contesting	Named as closest Malaysian peers in Kenanga analyst peer table, 21 Jan 2026
GXBank (digital-only bank)	gaining on	Malaysia digital bank licensee operating since 2023-2024, watched for deposit migration by 2028
Funding Societies (Modalku)	contesting	Maybank made a strategic investment in this SME fintech rather than purely compete, Nov 2025
DBS, OCBC, UOB (Singapore)	contesting	Regional rivals in ASEAN cross-border banking and wealth flows, per trading comparators

Questions people ask

Is Maybank profitable in 2026?: Yes. Maybank's FY2025 group net profit rose 4.2% year on year to RM10.51 billion (from RM10.08 billion in FY2024), reported 26 February 2026. However Q1 FY2026 net profit fell 4.2% y/y to RM2.48 billion, missing consensus of about RM2.73 billion, due to weaker trading income.
Who owns Maybank?: Maybank is majority state-linked. Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), Malaysia's state fund manager, held a total 52.22% stake (direct plus via Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera) as of end-June 2025, with EPF reported selling down its position around the same time, per The Edge Malaysia, 14 July 2026.
Could AI replace Maybank?: No. Maybank holds a Bank Negara Malaysia deposit-taking license and bears regulatory liability that AI cannot assume. Instead Maybank deploys AI into its own operations, launching an AI wealth advisory tool called Advisor Assist for relationship managers, built with Evooq, in June 2026.
Is Maybank cutting jobs?: Group headcount fell to 43,372 employees as of 31 December 2025, down 745 people (-1.69%) year on year, according to company filing data, alongside a RM10 billion five-year tech investment plan (ROAR30) launched January 2026 that modernizes branch and digital operations.
Who is Maybank's biggest competitor?: Domestically, CIMB Group, Public Bank Berhad and RHB Bank contest Maybank's Malaysian market position, per a Kenanga peer comparison dated 21 January 2026. Digital-only entrants like GXBank and fintech lender Funding Societies are also nibbling at deposit and SME-loan share, though not yet at scale.
Is Maybank a good dividend stock?: Maybank's dividend yield was running around 5.7 to 6% as of 20 July 2026, per i3investor data, alongside a 33 sen per share dividend declared with its Q4 FY2025 results (25 February 2026), reflecting its mature, cash-generative incumbent bank profile.

Timeline

2026-06-29Maybank launches Advisor Assist AI wealth advisory tool with Evooq
2026-05-27Q1 FY2026 net profit falls 4.2% y/y to RM2.48bn, missing consensus
2026-05-12Maybank launches SME Perkasa with RM1 billion fast-track SME financing
2026-02-26FY2025 group net profit rises 4.2% y/y to RM10.51 billion
2026-02-25Maybank reports Q4 FY2025 net profit up 5.7% y/y, declares 33 sen dividend
2026-01-20Maybank launches ROAR30 five-year plan, RM10bn tech spend, targets ROE 13-14% by 2030
2025-11-25Brand Finance reports Maybank brand value up 52% y/y to US$5.2 billion
2025-08-06Maybank partners with Microsoft for digital transformation and AI
2025-06-30PNB total stake in Maybank reaches 52.22% (reported July 2026)

Head to head

CIMB Group vs Maybank Maybank vs Public Bank Berhad

Revision history

25 July 2026

First assessed. Hard to displace. The text above is fixed as of this date and is not edited afterwards.

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