CIMB Group vs Public Bank Berhad
Public Bank Berhad holds the steadier position because no meaningful customer loss shows up in its record, while CIMB is losing retail deposit customers to app-only digital banks.
CIMB Group
Malaysia's #2 bank by assets, spanning retail, wealth, and ASEAN commercial banking
Public Bank Berhad
Public Bank Berhad: 60-year-old Malaysian bank for deposits, loans, and now insurance
Dimension by dimension
| Dimension | CIMB Group | Public Bank Berhad |
|---|---|---|
| Staying power of the core product | Deposits, loans, and ASEAN commercial banking remain central to how CIMB operates and are rated hard to displace. | Deposits, loans, and now insurance remain central to Public Bank after 60 years, also rated hard to displace. |
| Exposure to AI | AI is judged unlikely to absorb CIMB's banking product. | AI is judged unlikely to absorb Public Bank's banking product. |
| How easily a giant copies them | Blocked, reflecting regulatory and licensing barriers around full-scale banking. | Blocked, for the same regulatory and licensing reasons. |
| Pressure from rivals | GX Bank and Boost Bank are pulling retail deposit and savings customers away with higher rates and app-only convenience. | No meaningful customer loss is visible in the evidence. |
| Size of profit | FY25 net profit came in at RM7.9 billion. | FY2025 net profit came in at RM7.22 billion. |
| Return on equity | FY25 ROE stood at 11.3%. | FY2025 net ROE ran higher at 12-13%. |
| Capital buffer disclosed | CET1 capital ratio is reported at 14.3%. | No comparable capital ratio figure is given in the evidence. |
Questions people ask
- CIMB Group vs Public Bank Berhad, which is more exposed to AI?
- Neither is exposed in a meaningful way. Both CIMB and Public Bank are rated as unlikely to have their core banking product absorbed by AI, and both are seen as blocked from being copied by a large tech player.
- Which bank faces more competition, CIMB or Public Bank?
- CIMB faces more visible competition. Digital banks like GX Bank and Boost Bank are drawing away retail deposit and savings customers with higher rates and app-only convenience, while no such customer loss shows up for Public Bank in the evidence.
- Which bank made more money, CIMB or Public Bank?
- CIMB posted a larger net profit at RM7.9 billion for FY25 compared with Public Bank's RM7.22 billion for FY2025. Public Bank's Q1 FY2026 net profit was RM1.75 billion.
- Which bank uses its capital more efficiently?
- Public Bank's net ROE of 12-13% for FY2025 is a bit higher than CIMB's 11.3% ROE for FY25, suggesting Public Bank gets slightly more return per unit of equity.
- Is CIMB or Public Bank in a stronger position for the AI era?
- Both share the same rating of built to last with identical scores for AI exposure and copy risk. The difference comes down to competitive pressure, where Public Bank shows none in the evidence and CIMB is dealing with digital bank rivals chasing its deposit base.
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