The new service is now live on both channels in Hong Kong. In Singapore, VRE has been launched on Citibank Online with mobile banking capability to follow.

Citi has launched virtual remote engagement (VRE) for wealth management customers in Asia-Pacific, enabling them to converse with their relationship managers anywhere.

The new service developed specifically for emerging and affluent customers enables live audio, chat and video banking on Citi’s digital channels - Citibank Online and Citi Mobile, it said in a statement.

The platform is now live on both channels in Hong Kong. In Singapore, VRE has been launched on Citibank Online with mobile banking capability to follow. VRE will eventually be introduced to a total of 15 markets across the APAC region and Europe, Middle East and Africa for Citigold and Citigold private client customers. 

With Citi’s new service, customers can make appointments with their relationship managers before connecting with them remotely to:

- Review portfolios facilitated by screen-sharing and video, and
- Upload documents, share files and share links.

Customers will be able to give and receive authorisations on selected transactions including transfer of funds. The platform will also be able to support discussions between three parties using video, meaning that a customer has the ability to have a discussion with a relationship manager and a specialist.

“Citi’s Wealth Management business model is anchored by our relationship managers and the ability to have meaningful conversations with customers supported by digital tools and touch-points,” said Gonzalo Luchetti, Citi’s head of consumer banking for Asia-Pacific. “With VRE, we can converse with our customers on channels that they already prefer using without losing the critical human engagement component.”

VRE follows on from the launch of “Hello”, an in-app audio and video banking platform launched for affluent customers in India in 2017. India was the first market globally for Citi to launch this type of capability for wealth customers.

In the region, Citi is a wealth manager with over $256 billion in assets under management and over 450,000 emerging affluent and affluent customers.