Our roots as a different kind of bank

Born with a mission unlike any other, we were founded with a unique purpose to help develop a young nation. Since then, we've grown alongside Singapore to become Best Bank in the World. Be it our successes or war stories, the untold moments or widely-celebrated ones, or the bonds we've built within and beyond our bank — here, we aim to preserve these memories that capture who we are, and what we stand for.

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Early Years

1968 – 1979

As a young nation strove to forge its path, DBS was formed with a unique mission to finance Singapore's fledgling industries.

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Breaking New Ground

1980 – 1990

From innovations to develop Singapore’s financial industry, to building the nation’s largest commercial development with the world’s tallest hotel — we broke new ground, figuratively and literally.

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Spreading Our Wings

1991 – 2000

Flying the Singapore flag high, we established a footprint in Asia’s largest economies by setting up representative offices in China and India.

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Entrenching Ourselves in Asia

2001 – 2010

Strengthening Singapore’s position as a financial powerhouse, we pioneered innovations like the country’s first REIT, and deepened our presence across Asia in markets like China, India and Indonesia.

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Becoming the World's Best

2011 – 2020

Riding on the tech-wave, we embarked on an all-encompassing digital transformation in 2014, eventually earning recognition as Best Bank in the World for multiple years running. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, we demonstrated resilience and stood by our customers, employees and the community to emerge stronger from the crisis.

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Best Bank for a Better World

2021 – present

We strengthened our commitment towards a more sustainable future by joining global efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We also increased our support for communities and businesses championing social good.