EastWest’s work to widen access to investments and strengthen the advice available to clients has earned four awards from International Finance Magazine (IFM) in 2026.

The Bank received Most Innovative Securities Broker, Best Priority Banking Experience, Best Emerging Fund Manager, and Best Specialized Private Wealth Advisor. The Priority Banking award is EastWest Priority’s fourth consecutive win.

The four awards show the range of EastWest’s investment and wealth management business, from widening access to investment opportunities and strengthening the Priority Banking experience to expanding its fund management capabilities and developing more specialized advisory solutions for clients.

Providing guidance beyond individual transactions

At the center of this transformation is EastWest Priority, which has steadily expanded its role beyond traditional banking relationships to become a trusted partner in clients’ wealth journeys. By combining personalized advice, investment expertise, and lifestyle benefits, the platform supports clients through different life stages and financial goals.

EastWest Priority’s approach is anchored on four interconnected pillars: hyper-personalized portfolio solutions, expert relationship management, market intelligence, and curated lifestyle privileges. Together, these support clients across financial planning, investment management, protection, and legacy planning.

Clients have access to deposits, insurance products, bonds, Unit Investment Trust Funds, equities, foreign exchange solutions, portfolio management services, and select alternative investments, with recommendations tailored to their objectives, risk profiles, and evolving financial priorities.

Dedicated Priority Relationship Managers serve as a single point of contact for clients’ banking and wealth management needs. EastWest Priority currently operates 13 dedicated Priority Banking centers nationwide, complemented by digital banking services and advisory support. By the end of 2025, its assets under management had grown 40% year on year.

Making currency diversification more accessible

The Most Innovative Securities Broker award follows EastWest’s efforts to make US dollar-denominated government securities available to more investors. For clients who previously faced high minimum investment amounts, the Bank’s Financial Markets Distribution Group has opened up additional ways to participate.

EastWest expanded access to US dollar Treasury Bills and Bonds by lowering the investment entry barrier, enabling more clients to participate in these traditionally higher-ticket investment opportunities. Developed through the Bank’s collaboration with Philippine Dealing Services Corp., the initiative combines a lower entry point with competitive and transparent pricing and a more seamless transaction and settlement process.

The Bank has consistently enrolled US dollar Treasury Bills in the central securities depository, making the instruments available not only to EastWest clients but also to investors across the wider Philippine market. EastWest also introduced Bond Pooling, which allows several investors to combine their funds to meet minimum requirements for securities that might otherwise be inaccessible to them individually. Collectively, these efforts drove a significant year-on-year increase in volume.

“We want more clients to participate in investment opportunities that may have seemed out of reach before, while giving them advice that is relevant to where they are in their financial journey. Winning Best Priority Banking Experience for the fourth consecutive year makes this recognition especially meaningful, alongside our other awards. That is the thinking behind the solutions we 

continue to develop, and we are grateful that these efforts have been recognized,” said Mr. Jerry G. Ngo, EastWest CEO.

Building a broader fund management platform

The Best Emerging Fund Manager and Best Specialized Private Wealth Advisor awards cover two areas of EastWest’s Trust and Asset Management Group (TAMG): the funds it manages and the advice it is developing for clients with more complex needs.

TAMG’s assets under management grew 10.9%, from PHP70 billion in July 2025 to nearly PHP78 billion as of end-April 2026. It provides investment solutions through investment opportunities, trust solutions, and fiduciary services across different asset classes, geographic markets, and mandates.

The group manages 13 EastWest UITFs and seven variable unit-linked insurance funds of EastWest Ageas Insurance. Nine of these funds ranked either first or second in their respective peer groups over the last three years—six ranking first and three ranking second—based on risk-adjusted returns for actively managed funds and tracking error for passively managed funds.

TAMG has also continued to broaden its investment suite. In 2026, it launched six new funds, including the EW Peso Multi-Asset Fund, EW Dollar Money Market Fund, and four Personal Equity and Retirement Account or PERA funds. The four PERA launches placed EastWest in a tie for the most PERA funds in the market at the time covered by the submission.

Its accredited investment universe also grew 69% from 154 securities in June 2023 to 260 as of March 2026, giving clients wider access to international markets and investment opportunities.

Expanding specialized wealth advisory

The Best Specialized Private Wealth Advisor recognition also comes as TAMG builds on its discretionary portfolio management experience to expand into investment advisory services.

The group is developing professional advice and bespoke solutions for ultra-high-net-worth clients, covering needs such as estate planning, private trust, access to capital markets, and insurance. The approach is intended to give the team a fuller view of a client’s wealth life cycle while connecting appropriate banking, investment, and other financial solutions around the client’s objectives.

As more Filipinos seek professional guidance in managing their finances, EastWest continues to invest in solutions that make wealth building, investing, and financial planning more accessible. The four IFM recognitions serve as proof to the Bank's growing role as a trusted wealth partner, helping clients navigate opportunities with confidence while making banking easy and rewarding at every stage of their financial journey.

To learn more about EastWest Priority and the Bank’s investment solutions, visit https://www.eastwestbanker.com/priority