The lender plans to increase assets in this division - including deposits, insurance and funds under management - up to 1.6 trillion yuan (HK$1.81 trillion) by the end of 2012, from slightly under 1 trillion yuan at present, said executive vice president Dicky Yip.

"Our bank is providing financial plans for customers, tapping growth opportunities in the mainland," Yip said in Shanghai.

The number of customers of OTO Fortune business - a "one-on-one" wealth management program that targets high-end customers with a portfolio of at least 500,000 yuan - accounted for 50 percent of its retail segment, up from less than 5 percent three years ago when the service was launched.

The customer base has increased about 60 percent every year.

Yip said 400 of the the bank's 2,800 outlets provide the OTO Fortune service.

The bank also provides a wealth management service for customers with a net worth of 50,000 yuan, called BoCom Fortune.

Revealing that the bank's client base has been growing more than 100 percent each year, Yip said: "We are satisfied with our business direction now and our next step is to become a bank that provides all- round wealth management services over the next two to three years."

Meanwhile, the bank's card business relies on the credit card jointly issued with HSBC (0005), which holds a 19 percent stake in BoCom.

Since the launch in 2005, nearly 11 million cards have been issued, making it the fastest growing card in the mainland. The service turned profitable this year.

Yip said the retail banking division accounted for 40 percent of the bank's non- interest income and expects it to grow further.