At the Swift Payments Forum for the Caucasus and Turkey in Tbilisi, National Bank of Georgia Vice President Ekaterine Galdava outlined a three-stage strategy for modernizing domestic payments and enabling future cross-border interoperability. The approach prioritizes a strong domestic infrastructure before connecting with regional systems, extending the payments modernization agenda the central bank has previously presented. The first stage was completed in May 2026 with the launch of new real-time gross settlement and clearing systems based on ISO 20022. An ISO 20022 instant payment system, designed to process payments around the clock, is now at an advanced stage. The third stage centers on dialogue with regional central banks and other partners to align standards and infrastructure, with commercial banks, payment service providers, fintech companies and infrastructure providers also expected to participate. The objective is to make cross-border payments faster, more transparent and predictable as Georgia develops its role as a regional trade and transport hub.
2026-09-17National Bank of Georgia
National Bank of Georgia outlines three-stage payments modernization and regional interoperability strategy
National Bank of Georgia Vice President Ekaterine Galdava outlined a three-stage strategy covering domestic payments modernization, instant payments and regional interoperability. New ISO 20022 settlement and clearing systems launched in May 2026, while an instant payment system is at an advanced stage and discussions on aligning regional standards and infrastructure are underway.