Asia United Bank Corp. (AUB) has approved a plan to increase its authorized capital stock nearly five-fold as the lender prepares to expand its digital services and deploy generative artificial intelligence (AI).

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, AUB stated that its board of directors, led by newly elected Chairman Abraham T. Co, authorized raising the capital stock from ₱14.70 billion to ₱70 billion, subject to shareholder approval.

The board also approved the declaration of both cash and stock dividends. The bank declared a total cash dividend of ₱2.50 per share to be distributed in three tranches, alongside a 100 percent stock dividend.

According to AUB Corporate Planning and Investor Relations Officer Kristel Guto Azucena, the capital increase is primarily driven by the stock dividend, with the 100 percent stock dividend fulfilling the 25 percent subscription and paid-up capital requirement for the capital hike.

"We are using this to request the maximum possible increase in authorized capital," Azucena explained, adding that the move "will support future business expansion in line with the bank’s strategies and directions."

AUB President Manuel A. Gomez echoed this sentiment in a mobile message, noting that beyond serving stock dividend purposes, increasing authorized capital supports future business expansion.

"It provides flexibility for future corporate actions and accommodates future equity issuances to existing or new investors," Gomez said. "The increase merely creates additional authorized shares; actual issuance remains subject to the approvals and requirements of regulators and the bank."

Following another banner year, AUB unveiled its future-ready strategic roadmap. The plan is aimed at navigating a complex macroeconomic landscape by combining the agility of a fintech with the institutional resilience of a universal bank.

Faced with projected domestic and global headwinds for 2026—including inflationary pressures and currency volatility—AUB is steering its growth through generative AI integration.

Moving beyond basic operational efficiency, AUB is actively deploying generative AI to provide real-time, personalized financial advice to its millions of digital users. It is also leveraging predictive analytics to offer pre-approved credit lines to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The bank is preparing a future-ready capital position, remaining focused on maintaining capital strength to confidently seize new market opportunities. This additional authorized capital ensures the bank stays agile for fresh capital requirements.

Through its proprietary e-wallet, HelloMoney, and the AUB PayMate digital payment acceptance platform, AUB has effectively transformed from a traditional financial intermediary into a full-scale digital ecosystem orchestrator.

"By seamlessly connecting traditional banking stability with the limitless possibilities of digital innovation, we have built a bridge capable of withstanding global uncertainty and generating long-term, sustainable value for our stakeholders, customers, and communities," Gomez said.