The banking sector grew by 6.4% last year. According to preliminary and unaudited data published by the Albanian Banking Association, according to International Financial Reporting Standards IFRS, the total assets of the banking system at the end of 2024 reached Lek 2.095 trillion, an increase of approximately Lek 126 billion compared to 2023.

The largest bank by asset value last year was BKT, with 24.5% of the market. However, BKT's market share decreased from the level of 24.7% a year earlier.

Credins Bank follows, with 16.6% of assets, an increase from the level of 16.4% a year earlier. Raiffeisen Bank holds third place, with 14.4% of the market, but the Austrian group's bank has suffered a significant decline in market share from the level of 15.3% a year ago.

Intesa Sanpaolo has also fallen to 9.9% of total market assets, while a year ago it held 10.2%.

OTP Albania Bank follows with 8.8% of market assets, also down from the level of 9.2% in 2023.

Tirana Bank was the bank with the highest growth in the market last year. The Balfin group's bank reached 7.6% of total assets, from the 6.6% it held in 2023. It is followed by the American Investment Bank, with 6.7% of the market, with a slight increase from the level of 6.6% a year ago. Union Bank has also gained ground, with 5.1% of the market, from 5% at the end of 2023.

It is followed by First Investment Bank (Fibank), with 2.9%, also up from 2.8% a year ago. ProCredit Bank Albania has increased to 2.3%, from 2.2% in 2023.

The United Bank of Albania (UBA) closes the ranking with 1.2% of the market but with a significant increase from the 0.9% level a year ago.

Overall, 2024 confirmed a further trend of growth in the domestic capital banking market and a decline in foreign capital. Together, banks with 2/10/25, 5:56 PM The banking sector grew by 6.4% in 2024, with domestic capital banks accounting for 37.2% of total market assets, up from 35.5% a year earlier.

The growth in sector assets was supported in particular by the expansion of lending. The loan portfolio reached Lek 812 billion, up 13% (about Lek 94 billion) compared to a year earlier.

Figures according to IFRS standards confirm the fastest lending growth in 15 years and a greater appetite for risk by the banking sector in the country.

The credit market continues to be led by Credins Bank, with 15.8% of the total sector portfolio (down from 19.4% a year ago), followed by Raiffeisen Bank, with 15.9% (from 16.8% a year ago), BKT, with 12.8% (from 13.4% a year ago), OTP Albania, with 13.2% (the same as a year ago), Tirana Bank, with 9.3% (from 7.8% a year ago), ABI Bank, with 7.3% (from 6.5% a year ago), Intesa Sanpaolo, with 7% (from 7.4% a year ago), Union Bank, with 6.2% (from 6.4% a year ago), ProCredit Bank, with 4% (from 3.7% a year ago), Fibank with 3.9% (from 3.8% a year ago and UBA, by 1.9% (from 1.6% a year ago).