Honoring visionaries who are accelerating the nation’s digital future through innovation and leadership.
Mastercard announced the winners of the Mastercard Excellence Awards 2025 at a ceremony held in Dhaka. Under the theme “Inspired by Future”, the seventh edition of the awards honored organizations from the banking, payments, and fintech sectors for their exceptional contributions to innovation, financial inclusion, and the advancements of Bangladesh’s digital economy, a press release said.
A total of 33 awards were presented to 18 organizations across 19 categories. The award categories include Excellence in Digital Innovation, Digital Business, Online Business, Debit (Domestic and Cross Border), Credit (Domestic and Cross Border), Prepaid (Domestic and Cross Border), POS and Online Acquiring, Affluent, Location-Based Acquiring, Co-Brands, Innovation and Innovation in Acceptance, Financial Inclusion, Emerging Business, and Mastercard Business Growth (Issuing) for 2024-25.
Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, Governor of Bangladesh Bank, presided the event as Chief Guest, and Md. Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, was the Special Guest. The launch ceremony was also attended by Gautam Aggarwal, President, South Asia, Syed Mohammad Kamal, Country Manager; Zakia Sultana & Sohail Alim, Directors, Bangladesh, Mastercard, while several senior representatives from Bangladesh Bank, other leading banks, fintech companies attended along with diplomats and large merchants.
Gautam Aggarwal, President, South Asia, Mastercard, said, “Exciting times lie ahead in Bangladesh’s digital transformation journey. This progress is being fueled by innovation and strong partnerships across the ecosystem—including banks, fintechs, and technology providers—working together to make digital payments more accessible, secure, and inclusive for everyone. At Mastercard, we are proud to collaborate with these partners, combining global expertise with local insights to build a digitally inclusive future. The Mastercard Excellence Awards 2025 celebrates these trailblazers and partners who are turning that vision into reality.”
Launched in 2019, the Mastercard Excellence Awards has become a flagship initiative celebrating organizations that are helping drive Bangladesh’s transition toward a cashless future. This year’s theme underscores Mastercard’s vision of enabling progress through collaboration, technology, and foresight—shaping a stronger financial ecosystem today for the opportunities of tomorrow.
