Everyone says being wealthy makes life easier, which is true—especially as Thailand's economy slows and income growth is slow. Banks are now focusing on the Wealth business, targeting affluent customers with significantly higher purchasing power than other groups, and offering increased benefits to Wealth clients.
The Wealth Management business focuses on managing the money and assets of various client groups. Wealth is often measured by AUM (Assets Under Management), which refers to the total value of assets managed by the bank, such as deposits and mutual funds.
Currently, we see multiple ways banks segment their Wealth clients, for example:
- Entry-level clients with AUM around 1–3 million baht.
- Clients with AUM between 10–49 million baht.
- Clients with AUM of 50 million baht or more.
If you are a top-tier client at a bank, you receive several benefits, such as loans with lower interest rates, access to exclusive lounges, and priority banking services.
An interesting trend is the intensified competition in the "entry-level Wealth" segment. For example, LH Bank targets clients starting with AUM of about 500,000 baht. For those with AUM between 2–10 million baht, banks now allow "loan amounts to be counted as assets," meaning debt can count toward AUM. For instance, if someone has 500,000 baht in savings but a 5 million baht loan with the bank, they can immediately qualify for Wealth privileges. This is a significant market shift, as previously only actual owned assets were counted.
Benefits that were previously exclusive to the wealthy—such as free safe deposit box fees, restaurant discounts, premium credit cards, or at-home repair services—reflect how smaller banks are aggressively pushing to attract customers.
Mid-sized banks are also adjusting. For example, ttb reserve has revamped its services to focus more on lifestyle benefits, offering practical perks like restaurant discounts or cashback, moving away from traditional Wealth benefits such as free checkbooks or basic services, which are no longer as appealing.
For high-net-worth Wealth clients, banks continue to emphasize generating better returns and expanding loan products. For instance, Kasikornbank allows clients with AUM over 50 million baht to use land as collateral for loans, with the borrowed funds reinvested within the bank’s system. SCB Wealth is also accelerating this model in 2026.
As someone who values cost-effectiveness, nowadays you don’t have to concentrate all your AUM with one bank. For example, if you have 10 million baht, you might split it across 3–4 banks to maximize benefits, potentially gaining more advantages than depositing the full amount with a single bank.
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