Banka Kombëtare Tregtare (BKT) hosted the Albania Roundtable titled “Albanian EU Accession: Is the Financial System Ready?” during the Financial Times Central & Eastern European Forum in Vienna on January 13 and 14, 2026. The forum, now in its 31st year, gathered finance ministers, central bank governors, leading banks, corporations, and global investors to discuss funding and investment across Central and Eastern Europe.
This marks the sixth time BKT has organized the Albania Roundtable at this event. The roundtable aims to connect Albania with international markets and promote dialogue with global investors as part of the country’s European integration efforts.
Seyhan Pencablıgil, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of BKT, moderated the session. Participants included Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania; Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Economy and Innovation; and Adela Xhemali, Chief Executive Director of the Financial Supervisory Authority.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Pencablıgil said that 2025 is a pivotal year for Albania’s integration into the European Union. He described it as “the ‘Year of Integration’, a year in which Albania moved decisively from preparation to practical alignment with the European Union.” He highlighted two key developments: “the opening of all 33 EU acquis negotiation chapters and Albania’s official entry into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in October 2025.” According to Mr. Pencablıgil, these steps show that “Albania’s financial system is no longer only converging with Europe but is now operating within European financial infrastructure.”
Governor Sejko provided an overview of recent economic trends in Albania. He stressed that foreign direct investment is important for economic growth. He also commented on the banking sector’s stability: “financial indicators point to a sound banking system that is resilient to shocks and capable of contributing to the country’s economic development.” Sejko reaffirmed the Bank of Albania’s commitment to modernizing financial infrastructure and supporting European integration: “Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) positions the country at the same functional level as the European payments market.”
Minister Ibrahimaj emphasized how vital the financial sector is for EU accession. She said that digitalization, innovation, and productivity are priorities for government policy. She added that “Albania is actively implementing the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans,” using it as both a financial tool and a strategy to attract foreign investment—especially in FinTech and innovative sectors.
Adela Xhemali discussed regulatory changes needed for non-bank financial institutions. She stated: “supervising the non-bank financial market in line with the European Union’s legal framework” is essential for transparency and institutional trust. Xhemali outlined three core elements of adopting Solvency II standards: capital adequacy requirements; corporate governance and risk management standards; reporting and disclosure obligations. She explained that implementation will be phased in stages involving preparatory work, legal amendments, and eventual full adoption.
BKT remains a significant player in Albania’s banking industry. As of December 2025, it held about USD 8 billion in assets on a consolidated basis—representing roughly one-quarter of total assets within Albania’s banking system—and operated through 62 branches serving over 850,000 clients nationwide. Its group includes BKT Kosovo with 25 branches as well as BKT Pay electronic money institution.
The bank has received multiple awards from organizations such as The Banker, Global Finance, Euromoney, EMEA Finance, Finance Central Europe; it has also been positively rated by S&P Global Ratings and JCR Eurasia Rating.
Çalık Holding owns BKT outright; founded in Istanbul in 1981, Çalık operates across several industries including energy, construction, textiles, mining, and finance.
