ING mobilises record €68bln in H1 2025, driving APAC momentum in sustainable finance

Seoul, South Korea, 13 October 2025 – ING has released its latest Sustainable Finance Pulse (Issue 7, 2025), announcing it mobilised a record €68 billion in sustainable finance during H1 2025.

Through its Sustainable Finance Pulse Issue 7, ING highlighted continued momentum in global sustainable finance issuance amid shifting policy landscapes and geopolitical uncertainty. Year-to-date global sustainable finance issuance totalled USD 852 billion—slightly below H1 2024’s USD 909 billion, but broadly consistent with 2023 and 2022 levels. Q2 alone saw USD 432 billion in issuance, surpassing second-quarter figures from the previous two years.

Regional trends diverged sharply. The US saw a contraction in issuance due to reduced sustainability policy support, while the EU shifted focus towards competitiveness. ESG policy development slowed across several jurisdictions. In contrast, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is on track for a record-breaking year, driven by strong activity from corporates and financial institutions.

South Korea’s fiscal strategy is also expected to reinforce this momentum. Min Joo Kang, senior economist at ING Korea, commented, “Korea’s 2026 budget and five-year fiscal roadmap signal a decisive pivot toward expansionary policy, underscored by a 14.7% boost in industry transition support and a 19.3% increase in R&D spending. Coupled with robust corporate engagement, these measures are poised to accelerate the development of a more conducive landscape to foster new growth drivers for the Korean economy.”

ING’s strongest first half on record

Against this backdrop, ING delivered its strongest first half on record, mobilising €68 billion in sustainable finance—a 19% increase compared to H1 2024. This performance was underpinned by solid growth across both quarters, with Q2 2025 contributing €38 billion, up 16% versus H2 2024.

Sustainability-linked loans remained ING’s leading product category, followed by green bonds and green loans. Green loans showed particularly robust growth, with a 48% increase in the number of transactions and a 17% rise in volumes compared to Q2 2024, reflecting rising demand.

ING saw the number of sustainable finance transactions increase across all regions. EMEA remained the largest contributor to volume mobilised (61%), followed by the Americas (26%) and Asia Pacific (13%). APAC stood out for its strong growth in sustainable lending and debt capital markets, while the Americas held up well despite geopolitical uncertainties.

Helen Jung, country manager for ING Korea, commented, “Despite the turbulence in global markets, Asia-Pacific region continues to show steady growth in the sustainable finance sector. With a strong commitment to the energy transition and robust policy support, Korea has been steadily laying the groundwork for continued growth. We are also seeing a sustained level of interest from Korean corporates seeking to pursue their sustainability strategies through innovative financial solutions.”

Driving change: Accelerating the electric vehicle (EV) transition

Electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure are among the fastest-growing sectors globally, yet ING’s report highlights a critical infrastructure gap threatening the pace of transition. Despite China nearing a 50% EV share in new car sales, Europe projecting 27%, and the US at 10% for 2025, global fleet penetration remains just 5%. Charging infrastructure is lagging—particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe—where countries like Germany face severe constraints, recording 23 EVs per charger.

To address this challenge, ING launched its Amsterdam-based Transition Accelerator team to incubate promising innovations, scale early-stage technologies, and forge cross-value chain connections for systemwide change. The team has engaged over 300 prospects across four focus areas: clean mobility services (including EV charging infrastructure), sustainable materials, industrial innovation, and nature-based infrastructure.

In H1 2025, the team closed four major EV charging transactions, including a €433 million green financing deal with French EV charging infrastructure company Electra to deploy 15,000 charging points across nine European countries by 2030, and financing for US EV charging service provider EVgo to roll out approximately 2,100 fast-charging stalls across major US metropolitan areas.

Louise Kim, director of Sustainable Solutions Group at ING Korea, noted, “At ING, one of our key priorities is to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable transport by investing in diverse projects across the global EV supply chain, including EV charging infrastructure. Korean companies’ leadership in battery technology and their growing influence within the supply chain uniquely position them to seize these opportunities. We’re excited to deepen our support for Korean innovators leading the next wave of clean mobility.”

ING Climate Update 2025

ING also published its Climate Update 2025. ING remains committed to financing the transition to net zero by 2050. The bank is on track to deliver €7.5 billion in renewables financing annually by year-end and continues progressing toward its €150 billion sustainable finance target by 2027.

ING’s latest Climate Update 2025 details its ongoing efforts to accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy. In 2024, ING supported 835 sustainability deals, with another 400 closed in H1 2025—mobilising capital to incentivise clients’ decarbonisation plans and finance the transition. ING also became the first global systemically important bank to have targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).