From July 19th to 24th, 2026, the Co-opBank delegation, led by Mr. Khuat Duy Tuan, Member of the Board of Directors, and Mr. Nguyen Thac Tam, Deputy General Director, together with representatives of several departments at the Head Office, participated in the 2026 World Credit Union Conference (WCUC), held in Sydney, Australia.
Co-opBank achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first and only organization in the history of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) to receive the “Digital Growth Award for Sustained Excellence 2026”. This marks the second time that Co-opBank has been recognized by WOCCU for its achievements in digital growth, following its first award in 2023. In recognition of Co-opBank’s outstanding achievements and remarkable progress in digital transformation during the 2023–2026 period, WOCCU broke with its long-standing practice of presenting the Digital Growth Award only once to each organization by establishing a new award category, the Digital Growth Award for Sustained Excellence, exclusively to honor Co-opBank. The new award recognizes Co-opBank’s ability to sustain and continuously build upon its excellence in digital transformation, reflecting its ongoing innovation and effective, sustainable digital development. It also acknowledges Co-opBank’s persistent efforts in advancing digital transformation across the People’s Credit Funds (PCFs) network.
Mr. Paul Treinen, President and CEO of WOCCU, stated: “The key reason WOCCU decided to present this special award to Co-opBank is the broad-based impact of its digital solutions. Co-opBank has not only developed innovative technologies but has also created extraordinary value for users, particularly through its mission of extending financial services to people who have not had access to mainstream banking services.” Receiving this special recognition for the second time through the Digital Growth Award for Sustained Excellence not only acknowledges Co-opBank’s outstanding achievements in digital transformation but also reinforces its pioneering role in supporting the People’s Credit Funds (PCFs) network in Vietnam to integrate more deeply into the global cooperative finance community.
During the conference, the Co-opBank delegation attended the Opening Ceremony, featuring the ceremonial flag procession of 39 member countries and territories, symbolizing the unity and cooperation of the global credit union community. The delegation also participated in the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Annual General Meeting (AGM), where delegates elected additional members to the current Board of Directors.At the AGM, Mr. Paul Treinen, President and CEO of WOCCU, presented the organization’s financial report, operational results, and key achievements over the past year. He also shared WOCCU’s strategic priorities for advancing the development of the global credit union system.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Co-opBank delegation visited and held a working session with the leadership of Teachers Mutual Bank, one of Australia’s largest customer-owned banks, to exchange experience on the customer-owned banking model as well as best practices in corporate governance and the development of modern banking services. The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Mike Reuter, President of the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), to express appreciation for WFCU’s support to Vietnam’s People’s Credit Fund (PCF) system in the aftermath of natural disasters, while discussing opportunities for future cooperation. In addition, the delegation met with Mr. Michael Lawrence, Chair of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Co-Chair of the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA), to exchange experience on the customer-owned banking model. The delegation also held discussions with Mr. Paul Dawson, a representative of the Australian Mutuals Foundation (AMF–CUFA), to share experience in cooperative finance development and explore opportunities for strengthening technical cooperation in the future.
Co-opBank’s participation in the 2026 World Credit Union Conference (WCUC) and its recognition with the Digital Growth Award for Sustained Excellence not only acknowledges Co-opBank’s outstanding achievements in digital transformation but also opens up new opportunities for cooperation with international cooperative financial institutions. The conference also provided Co-opBank with a valuable platform to exchange knowledge and learn from international best practices, expand its network of strategic partners, and further strengthen its role as a bridge connecting Vietnam’s PCFs network with the global cooperative finance community.
Reporter
