Fifty years ago, BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) began as a modest savings bank. Today, it serves millions of Filipinos, supports businesses across industries, and stands as the country’s largest banking institution by assets. Its transformation over the past five decades tells a story not only of corporate growth but also of the evolution of Philippine banking and the aspirations of generations of Filipino families and entrepreneurs.
As BDO marks its 50th anniversary, the milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on a journey shaped by strategic expansion, changing customer needs, and a commitment to making financial services more accessible to Filipinos wherever they are.
The institution traces its roots to Acme Savings Bank, established in 1967. A defining moment came in 1976 when it became part of the SM Group, laying the foundation for a growth strategy that would combine disciplined expansion, customer-centric services, and long-term investments in banking infrastructure.
Over the years, BDO pursued a series of acquisitions that broadened its capabilities and accelerated its growth. These included Banco Santander Philippines, Dao Heng Bank Philippines, GE Money Bank, Citibank Savings, Real Bank, and the consumer banking business of UOB Philippines. The Bank also completed its landmark merger with Equitable PCI Bank, one of the largest banking consolidations in Philippine banking history.
But BDO’s rise was never solely about acquiring scale.
Each transaction brought new capabilities, expanded access to customers, and strengthened the Bank’s ability to serve different segments of the market. At the same time, BDO continued to invest heavily in its own operations, steadily growing its lending portfolio, deposit base, distribution network, and suite of financial services.
The result is a banking franchise that today touches nearly every part of the Philippine economy.
From helping entrepreneurs launch small businesses to providing capital for major infrastructure and corporate projects, BDO has become a financial partner to individuals, families, enterprises, and institutions at different stages of their growth. Its services now span consumer and corporate banking, transaction banking, trust and investments, private banking, insurance, leasing and finance, securities brokerage, and investment banking.
Beyond traditional banking, BDO has also played an important role in helping connect Filipino families across borders. Through its remittance network and overseas presence, the Bank has enabled millions of overseas Filipinos to send money home conveniently and securely, supporting household expenses, education, healthcare, housing, and small businesses. For many families, these remittances represent not just financial transactions but opportunities for a better future.
This diversified model has enabled the Bank to evolve alongside its customers. As financial needs became more sophisticated, BDO expanded beyond traditional lending and deposit-taking, building businesses in wealth management, insurance, remittance services, and capital markets advisory. These operations have helped create a more resilient organization while offering customers a broader range of financial solutions under one roof. The Bank’s scale today reflects decades of sustained growth.
As of June 2026, BDO held total assets of P5.90 trillion, gross customer loans of P3.93 trillion, and deposits of P4.57 trillion. It ranked first among Philippine banks in terms of total assets, customer loans, deposits, and assets under management based on published statements of condition.
Those figures represent more than balance-sheet strength. They reflect the trust placed by millions of customers who have relied on the institution to save, invest, borrow, build businesses, purchase homes, and achieve personal financial goals through the years.
The Bank’s extensive physical footprint has also played a key role in its growth story. Currently, BDO operates over 2,000 branches and offices, including branch-lite units, supported by more than 7,900 automated teller machines nationwide. Beyond the Philippines, it maintains 13 international remittance offices, and two branches in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively, to serve overseas Filipinos and corporate clients in key markets across Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
These international offices reflect the Bank’s long-standing relationship with the global Filipino community. For decades, BDO has helped overseas Filipino workers stay financially connected to their loved ones back home, providing remittance and banking services that have enabled families to save, invest, build homes, finance education, and pursue long-term financial goals.
For many Filipinos, especially in communities where access to financial services remains vital, the branch network continues to provide an important connection to the banking system. At the same time, BDO has expanded its digital capabilities, allowing customers to bank anytime and anywhere as technology reshapes the way financial services are delivered.
The ability to balance physical reach with digital innovation has become one of the defining characteristics of modern banking. For BDO, it reflects an approach that recognizes customers increasingly expect both convenience and accessibility.
Looking back, BDO’s journey mirrors many of the changes that have shaped the Philippine economy over the past five decades. It has navigated periods of economic expansion, market volatility, technological disruption, and shifting consumer behavior while continuing to broaden its services and strengthen its position within the industry.
Its strategy of combining acquisitions, business diversification, and continuous investment in infrastructure and technology has enabled it to adapt to different economic cycles and pursue growth through multiple channels. Rather than depending on a single business line, BDO has built a franchise that draws strength from its breadth, scale, and ability to serve a wide range of customer needs.
Reaching 50 years is a rare achievement in any industry. For BDO, the milestone serves both as a celebration of how far it has come and as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with serving millions of customers and supporting the broader economy.
As the Bank enters its next chapter, its focus is increasingly centered on sustaining growth, accelerating digital transformation, and responding to the evolving needs of customers in an increasingly competitive financial landscape.
From its beginnings as a small savings bank to its position today as the country’s largest banking franchise, BDO’s first 50 years stand as a testament to the power of vision, adaptability, and long-term commitment. More importantly, it is a story measured not only in assets and market share, but in the millions of lives it has touched, from entrepreneurs pursuing growth opportunities to overseas Filipinos working hard to support their families back home.
As BDO celebrates its golden anniversary, it marks not just a corporate milestone, but five decades of helping Filipinos achieve their financial aspirations, supporting businesses that drive economic progress, and building lasting connections across generations, communities, and borders.