Thai Credit Bank Public Company Limited (SET: CREDIT) has revealed its business direction for 2026, centering on robust double-digit loan growth, a stronger thrust into the Micro SME sector, and an ambitious digital transformation to navigate the new technology landscape.
2025 Results Show Strength Against the Industry Trend
Mr. Roy Agustinus Gunara, Chief Executive Officer of CREDIT, stated the bank remains intensely focused on the micro-SME segment, which constitutes over 80% of the bank’s portfolio. Notably, CREDIT sees substantial opportunity among the underserved segment, which accounts for more than 30% of Thailand’s economy. Moreover, the digital transformation journey remains a top priority, as the bank seeks to become a fully integrated digital banking platform and deliver long-term value through innovation and cost reduction.
On the financial front, Mr. Kittipant Sriwannawit, First Executive Vice President and Assistant Managing Director, Finance and Accounting Division, disclosed that for the full-year 2025, CREDIT sustained its strong position, recording a net profit of 4,116 million baht—a 10.8% year-on-year increase.
Total loans outstanding climbed to 181.9 billion baht, representing an 18.1% surge that stands in marked contrast to the industry’s 1.3% pace. This outperformance was especially apparent in the third and fourth quarters as the micro-SME portfolio delivered pronounced growth, despite the bank’s prudent loan approval policies.
CREDIT’s net interest margin (NIM) stood at 7.7%, having eased in line with the direction of the Monetary Policy Committee, but remains a relief to customers and is believed to have already bottomed out. Meanwhile, the cost-to-income ratio reached 43.6%, a slight increase due to decelerated loan growth, now averaging 11% from over 20%. Nevertheless, the bank’s investments are progressing as planned, with expectations for material cost reductions over the long term.
Outstanding Asset Quality and ESG Achievements
In asset quality, CREDIT delivered its best performance since the post-pandemic period. Non-performing loans (NPLs) fell to 4.2%—close to big-bank levels and well below the SME industry average of 10.7%. The credit cost dropped from 2.65% to 1.83%, while the coverage ratio stood strong at 158%, resulting in the return on equity (ROE) reaching an industry-leading 16.3%. CREDIT also maintained its ‘A’ rating of the SET ESG Ratings and a 5-star CG Score for a second consecutive year.
2026 Financial Target: Double-Digit Growth through Digital Focus
Looking ahead, CREDIT sets its 2026 goal for double-digit loan growth in the range of 11-15%. NIM is projected to remain in a 7.5-8.0% band; the cost-to-income ratio is targeted to improve to 42.0%, and NPLs are to be maintained below 4.5% through efficient cost management and rigorous credit monitoring. The push will be powered by digital platforms such as Micro Pay and Alpha, which continue to see rapid user and transaction growth, and the upcoming New Core Banking system to bolster operational efficiency and shareholder returns.
Mr. Roy noted the bank maintains a conservative target stance given expectations that Thailand’s economy could underperform its 2025 growth rate, and that high uncertainty, particularly from ongoing geopolitical conflicts, persists. He commented that if the government is able to sustain effective economic stimulus policies, there remains further upside potential for the bank’s business performance.
CREDIT has set a long-range objective to grow its loan portfolio to 280-300 billion baht by 2029, underlining healthy double-digit annualized growth outpacing the industry average in 2025. The bank acknowledges risks such as elevated household debt and the threat of weak global growth constraining domestic income and GDP, which could impact the micro-SME segment.
Adapting to Technological Shifts and Managing Risk
In light of the transformative impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence, which are expected to replace some human labor within 2-5 years, CREDIT emphasizes cost reduction and digital investments. Successful digital transformation will translate into concrete benefits for customers, potentially boosting bank performance over the medium and long term.
Regarding risk from international conflict, the bank assesses that while micro-SMEs are currently not affected directly, indirect effects—mainly through energy and oil price volatility—are potential stress points to monitor, given micro-businesses’ reliance on these inputs.
Though initial projections for GDP growth in 2026 remain cautious, the bank notes encouraging early signs from government loan guarantee programs for SMEs, rolled out in early 2026. CREDIT collaborates closely with these programs to help clients restore access to funding. If targeted policies continue, the outlook for Thailand’s economy and the bank’s growth could improve substantially.
