The Bank of Albania approved its Financial Stability Statement and Report for the first half of 2026, assessing financial system activity as stable and banking sector risks as controlled. Bank growth continued, supported mainly by deposits directed toward lending and securities investments, while net profit remained positive but fell from the same period in 2025. Financial resilience indicators and stress tests showed that banks remained resilient to identified risks, although the central bank maintained its recommendation to strengthen risk prevention and management systems and preserve adequate capitalization. The Supervisory Council also amended payment account and foreign exchange rules. Payment service providers must give payers clear, advance information on foreign exchange charges for card transactions at ATMs and points of sale, including the markup over the Bank of Albania exchange rate, and disclose applicable charges and the total amount before an online credit transfer. Separate changes remove the requirement for specific supporting documents for current transfers between residents and nonresidents, while retaining documentation obligations under anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing laws and aligning residency definitions with the economic residence principle. The council also granted preliminary approval for ProCredit Bank to undertake insurance and reinsurance intermediation as an agent.

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