Kuala Lumpur, 28 October 2026 – CIMB Group Holdings Bhd’s planned sale of its Philippine business has attracted interest from Bank of the Philippine Islands and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co, with binding bids expected before the end of October. The business could be valued at as much as US$200 million, according to people familiar with the matter, but discussions remain ongoing and there is no certainty that a transaction will proceed.
For Asian banks and investors, the process puts a regional strategy question in focus: whether a digital-first operation built in a large, fast-growing market can command more value under a domestic owner than within a foreign banking group. The reported interest is confirmed; a sale, buyer, price and any resulting shift in competition are not. Those distinctions matter when assessing a potential cross-border deal.
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