The more they grow, the smaller the domestic market seems to them. With a population that has dropped to around 2.4 million, Albania is becoming a small market for some of the largest business groups - enterprises that, over the past three decades, have evolved from trading to diversification and, now, to cross-border expansion.

Many of these ventures began operations two or three decades ago, in an economy that, following the 1990s, faced immense demand for goods, services, and private capital, writes Monitor.

Growth was rapid in the early years, and the market offered ample room for expansion.

Over time, these businesses diversified, entered new sectors, and built increasingly large corporate structures.

Yet today, for some of them, even domestic diversification is no longer enough. For this reason, some major Albanian groups are leveraging the expertise gained in the domestic market, accumulated capital, and managerial know-how to expand beyond Albania’s borders, with investments spanning regional markets and Central Europe all the way to North America.

According to the Bank of Albania, investments by Albanian companies abroad reached EUR 302M in 2025, a 25% increase compared to the previous year. Approximately 65% ??of the total consisted of new capital injections into foreign-controlled subsidiaries - an indication that this expansion is increasingly taking the form of direct investment rather than mere commercial presence.

BALFIN Group reported that in 2025, for the first time, roughly half of its annual turnover was generated by businesses outside Albania, reflecting the growing importance of foreign markets to its operations. "Kastrati Group" is also expanding beyond national borders, reaching as far as the United States through the acquisition of a hotel. This international expansion is viewed as a way to diversify revenue streams and enter markets far larger than the Albanian one.

Agna Group has announced its ambition to acquire companies in other countries, primarily in the sectors of distribution, investment, and real estate development.

"Population decline and migration are realities that every business operating in Albania must take into account. We are a relatively small market, and this is one of the reasons why we are increasingly looking at expansion opportunities in the region and beyond with interest," says Vasil Naçi, President and CEO of AGNA Group.