Mutual Trust Bank PLC (MTB) has received the 2026 Best Consumer Digital Bank award from international financial magazine Global Finance, becoming the only Bangladeshi bank recognised among the winners in the Asia-Pacific region.
The bank announced the achievement in a press release on Tuesday, 27 October. According to MTB, the award acknowledges its customer-focused digital services, technology-driven innovation and extensive digital banking infrastructure, including a growing range of solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
MTB said it operates one of Bangladesh’s largest digital banking service platforms, with a range of technology-based facilities designed to make banking more accessible and convenient. Its approach focuses on helping customers manage everyday financial activities through digital channels, reducing the need to visit physical branches for routine services.
At the centre of the bank’s digital offering is MTB Neo, its flagship banking application. Customers can use the app to open new accounts, apply for fixed deposits and monthly savings schemes, and submit loan applications. It also supports various banking transactions authorised by Bangladesh Bank, the country’s central bank.
The application offers voice banking in both Bangla and English, enabling customers to complete transactions using voice commands. The feature provides an alternative to conventional app navigation and is intended to make digital banking easier to access for people with different levels of technological familiarity.
MTB Neo also incorporates an AI-powered personal finance management solution. Available to both MTB customers and users of other banks, the service helps individuals keep track of their assets and income, monitor expenditure and obtain guidance to support financial decisions. By offering tools to review financial activity, the platform aims to help users better understand their financial position and manage their money more effectively.
The bank has also introduced AI into its customer support operations. MTB says it launched Bangladesh’s first AI-powered call centre agent, which can engage in natural-sounding conversations and respond automatically to routine enquiries, including questions about card activation and account statements. The system is designed to reduce waiting times and provide customers with quicker access to basic banking information.
Another notable initiative is ‘Mita’, MTB’s AI-powered humanoid banking avatar. According to the bank, when the technology was introduced, it was the first of its kind in Asia and placed MTB among only five institutions worldwide using such a solution. Mita interacts directly with customers, providing information and guidance on the bank’s services.
These include retail banking, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) banking, agricultural banking, credit cards, expatriate banking, agent banking and MTB Neo. The avatar is currently available through the MTB Neo application and the bank’s website, offering customers an additional channel for learning about the institution’s products and services.
MTB’s digital strategy also covers business and institutional banking. The bank offers ‘Trade X’ to support business transactions and maintains an enhanced electronic banking system for institutional customers. These services are intended to facilitate business-related banking activities and expand access to digital financial services beyond individual account holders.
Commenting on the award, MTB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Syed Mahbubur Rahman described the recognition as an important milestone in the bank’s digital transformation journey. He said the achievement reflected MTB’s commitment to developing customer-focused digital banking services that meet international standards.
Rahman added that the bank aims to make MTB Neo a reliable banking companion for customers in their everyday lives. He emphasised the importance of enabling people to access essential services without visiting branches, using technologies such as voice banking, AI-powered call centre support and Mita. He also described the bank’s recognition as the only Bangladeshi winner in the Asia-Pacific region as a source of pride.
MTB said it would continue developing its digital banking application, voice-based transactions, AI-assisted customer service and technology supporting business transactions and financing. Through these initiatives, the bank intends to expand convenient and inclusive banking services across Bangladesh.
The award comes as digital technology continues to change how customers access financial services. Mobile applications and automated support systems can make routine banking activities more convenient, while digital channels may reduce the time and effort required for branch visits. Voice-based services and AI-assisted support can also provide additional ways for customers to obtain information and carry out transactions.
However, the effectiveness of digital banking depends on more than technological innovation. Secure transactions, protection of personal and financial information, reliable systems and timely assistance when problems arise remain essential to maintaining customer confidence.
For MTB, the Global Finance award represents international recognition of its investment in digital banking. Sustaining that progress will depend on the bank’s ability to improve its services continuously, maintain reliable operations and respond to the changing needs of individual customers, businesses and institutional clients.
