The National Bank of Serbia published first-quarter 2026 data showing continued growth in the remote contracting of financial services in Serbia. A total of 139,244 financial contracts were concluded remotely in the period, up 49.2% from 93,355 a year earlier and 4.1 times the level recorded five years ago. The bank noted that, alongside banks, nonbank payment service providers can also offer remote contracting where they meet the conditions for carrying out customer video identification. First-time contracts that required customer video identification totaled 34,141, an increase of 33.9% from the same period a year earlier. Of those contracts, 705, or 2.1%, related to payment services offered by nonbank payment service providers. Video identification represented 24.5% of all remote contracts, while the remaining 105,103 contracts, or 75.5%, were concluded through other electronic methods for customers that already had an existing business relationship and wanted additional services. By product type among bank offerings, remote contracting increased across all categories, including 67,964 loan agreements, up 112.7%; 18,901 demand or term savings agreements, up 35.7%; 22,855 overdraft agreements, up 20.4%; 26,796 payment account opening agreements, up 4.8%; and 2,023 agreements for other services, up 3.1%.
National Bank of Serbia2026-06-30
National Bank of Serbia reports 49.2% annual growth in remotely concluded financial contracts in the first quarter of 2026
The National Bank of Serbia said 139,244 financial contracts were concluded remotely in the first quarter of 2026, up 49.2% from a year earlier and 4.1 times the level five years ago. First-time contracts completed through video identification rose 33.9% to 34,141, while 105,103 were concluded through other electronic channels for existing customers. Remote volumes increased across all listed bank product categories, led by loans.