Arthid Nanthawithaya, CEO of SCB X Public Company Limited (SET: SCB), outlined the company’s strategic priorities at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on April 8. The company will focus on maintaining a balance between dividend payments and the strength of its capital base to support long-term growth and investments in emerging business sectors.
Arthid assured shareholders that SCB retains a robust capital base, allowing for steady business expansion, especially in capability-building and new business development, without compromising the company’s ability to pay dividends.
With no immediate large-scale investment requirements on the horizon, he noted that SCB should sustain its relatively high dividend payout as long as revenue and profit generation remain solid. Dividend policy will continue to depend on business performance, capital adequacy, and macroeconomic factors.
He also highlighted that interim dividends could be considered if performance meets expectations and no major external shocks threaten the company’s financial health, stressing the importance of vigilant risk assessment, especially given lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCB’s dividend approach aims to deliver reasonable long-term returns while ensuring financial resilience to back new ventures, notably in the areas of virtual banking and AI technology, which are central to SCB’s strategic direction. Comprehensive evaluation of various factors will guide decisions to balance business growth and shareholder value.
For 2026, SCB is pushing to become an “AI First Organization,” leveraging AI to boost competitiveness, enhance risk management, drive product innovation, and improve customer experience. The company will concentrate on selective loan portfolio growth, using AI for customer screening and offering risk-tailored financial products, while aiming to reclaim double-digit return on equity (ROE) through prudent asset management. Focus areas also include maintaining leadership in the housing loan market and targeting high-quality business clients.
Additionally, SCB is set to launch a virtual bank, “BankX,” by June 2026 with strategic partners KakaoBank from South Korea and WeBank from China. BankX will target underbanked segments, particularly lower-income groups, providing deposits and personal loans through digital channels and leveraging AI for operational efficiency. The open architecture model will foster partnerships across retail and food sectors, broadening customer access. The initiative is expected to show significant returns within three to five years.
Regarding risk management, Arthid acknowledged the uncertainty stemming from Middle East tensions and global economic fluctuations. He noted that SCB has directed its units to review loan portfolios and conduct stress tests in order to ensure sufficient provisioning under different scenarios.
SCB remains committed to sustainability, achieving 88 points in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment—placing it among the top 10% of banks globally—and accumulating over THB 223 billion in sustainable finance loans from 2023 to 2025. A specialized committee was also established to further integrate ESG into corporate strategy. The firm also maintains a strong stance against corruption, being a recognized member of the Thai Private Sector Collective Action against Corruption.
