- First proposition from DBS curated for the emerging affluent segment
- Brings the best of the bank’s global standards to customers in 350+ locations across India
- Zero forex mark-up on DBS Aspire debit card caters to globalised lifestyles
DBS Bank India announced its new DBS Aspire banking proposition, along with the signature Aspire debit card, designed for the country’s fast-growing, well-travelled, emerging affluent segment. DBS Aspire extends premium banking access to clients with a total relationship value of Rs. 10 lakh or a minimum monthly savings account average balance of Rs. 2 lakh, positioning the bank as a long-term banking partner to these customers as they grow their wealth.
As international mobility, overseas education and work opportunities abroad increase, it has fuelled a preference for the higher-tier aspects of service-led banking such as a dedicated relationship manager and benefits that align with their multi-location lifestyles. India’s emerging affluent are also at a nascent stage of wealth accumulation and are still predominantly value driven.
DBS Aspire has been crafted to address the needs of this upwardly mobile, digitally savvy set of customers that have grown beyond mass banking. The proposition includes high returns on savings account balances, zero charges on banking services, coupled with the seamless digital access of digiportfolio, the bank’s cutting-edge investment platform.
Speaking on the new offering, Ambuj Chandna, Managing Director & Head of Consumer Banking Group, DBS Bank India, said, “We identified a clear gap in the market where a majority of existing banking propositions cater to either a mass audience or at the other end – the premium wealth segment of High Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs) and Ultra-HNIs. The emerging affluent segment has remained structurally underserved, and we believe that DBS Aspire speaks to this sizeable audience by bringing together both value added and aspirational benefits, delivered through a relationship-led model that is reinforced by the bank’s advanced digital capabilities.
Aspire is the first DBS offering that has been tailored expressly for an emerging affluent base, to support them as their financial goals evolve, reflecting our belief that a bank can be a trusted partner to customers as they move up the wealth continuum.”
Key benefits for customers of the DBS Aspire program include:
- Zero forex mark-up on international spends on the DBS Aspire debit card & zero charges on all banking transactions & services, as part of the DBS Aspire program.
- Access to a Relationship Manager* – an offering typically associated with higher-end banking propositions.
- A competitive interest rate of 5% per annum on savings account balances between Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 50 lakh, significantly higher than the rate being offered by most major banks.
DBS Aspire complements the bank’s existing wealth proposition, DBS Treasures, which serves wealth customers with a total relationship value of Rs. 30 lakh and above. DBS Treasures clients can access a full suite of customised wealth management solutions, experienced relationship managers, exclusive privileges, backed by the trusted advantage of the DBS platform.
*T&Cs apply
About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The bank’s “AA-” and “Aa1” credit ratings are among the highest in the world. In 2025, CRISIL Ratings reaffirmed its ‘CRISIL AAA/Stable’ rating on the corporate credit facility of DBS Bank India Ltd (DBIL). The rating on the certificate of deposits programme was also reaffirmed at ‘CRISIL A1+’.
Recognized for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Global Finance, “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, and “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney and the world’s “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 17 consecutive years from 2009 to 2025. DBS Bank India was recognized by CRISIL – Coalition Greenwich as the Best Bank for Corporate Banking and Best Bank for Corporate Cash Management in India in 2025. In the same year, Euromoney also named DBS Bank India the Best Digital Bank for SMEs in India. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets.
DBS Bank has been present in India for more than 30 years, opening its first office in Mumbai in 1994. DBS Bank India Limited is the first among the large foreign banks in India to start operating as a wholly owned, locally incorporated subsidiary of a leading global bank. As a trusted partner, DBS provides a range of banking services for large, medium, and small enterprises and individual consumers in India, focusing on a seamless customer experience that helps them ‘Live more, Bank less’. In November 2020, Lakshmi Vilas Bank was merged with DBS Bank India Limited. DBS Bank India is now present in ~350 locations in 19 Indian states.
DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting businesses for impact: enterprises with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping underserved communities with future-ready skills and helping them to build food resilience.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities.
