EAST WEST BANCORP INC

PART I

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“this Form 10-K”) contains “forward-looking statements” that are intended to be covered by the safe harborfor such statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. East West Bancorp, Inc. (referred to herein on an unconsolidated basis as “East West” and on a consolidated basis as the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” or “EWBC”) may make forward-looking statements in other documents that it files with, or furnishes to, the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and management may make forward-looking statements to analysts, investors, media members and others. Forward-looking statements are those that do not relate to historical facts and that are based on current assumptions, beliefs, estimates, expectations and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond the Company’s control. Forward-looking statements may relate to various matters, including the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, business or industry, and usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipates,” “assumes,” “believes,” “can,” “continues,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “intends,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “plans,” “potential,” “projects,” “remains,” “should,” “target,” “trend,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions or variations thereof, and the negative thereof, but these terms are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.

Factors that might cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

•changes in local, regional and global business, economic and political conditions, and natural or geopolitical events;

•the soundness of other financial institutions and the impacts related to or resulting from bank failures and other industry volatility, including potential increased regulatory requirements, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance premiums and assessments, and deposit withdrawals;

•changes in trade, tariff, tax, monetary and fiscal policies;

•changes in immigration laws and enforcement practices, or travel and visa related policies;

•current or potential disputes between the U.S., the People’s Republic of China, Singapore and other countries;

•changes in the commercial and consumer real estate markets;

•changes in consumer or commercial spending, savings and borrowing habits, and patterns and behaviors;

•the Company’s ability to compete effectively against financial institutions and other entities, including as a result of emerging technologies;

•the success and timing of the Company’s business strategies;

•the Company’s ability to retain key officers and employees;

•changes in interest rates, competition, regulatory requirements and product mix;

•changes in the Company’s costs of operation, compliance and expansion;

•disruption, failure in, or breach of, the Company’s operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third-party vendors with which the Company does business, including as a result of cyber-attacks, and the disclosure or misuse of confidential information;

•the adequacy of the Company’s risk management framework;

•future credit quality and performance, including expectations regarding future credit losses and allowance levels;

•adverse changes to the Company’s credit ratings;

•legal proceedings, regulatory investigations and their resolution;

•the Company’s capital requirements and its ability to generate capital internally or raise capital on favorable terms;

•the impact on the Company’s liquidity due to changes in the Company’s ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; and

•any strategic acquisitions or divestitures, the introduction of new or expanded products and services or other events that may directly or indirectly result in a negative impact on the financial performance of the Company and its customers.

For a more detailed discussion of some of the factors that might cause such differences, see Item 1A. Risk Factors presented in this Form 10-K. You should treat forward-looking statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to the Company. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law.