FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In the third quarter of 2025, the loan portfolio from non-bank financial institutions fell to 61.6 billion lekë; almost 1 billion lekë less compared to the previous quarter...
After years filled with abuses, high interest rates, and dark stories like the infamous Micro Credit Albania case, Albanians have begun to withdraw from microfinance institutions.
Official data from the Bank of Albania show that lending from these institutions has declined for the third consecutive quarter, signaling a significant change in citizens' financial behavior.
According to statistics from the Bank of Albania, in the third quarter of 2025, the loan portfolio from non-bank financial institutions fell to 61.6 billion lekë; almost 1 billion lekë less compared to the previous quarter. If we look at the annual performance, the growth is only 2.2%, a modest figure that indicates a serious slowdown in this sector that until yesterday was expanding rapidly.
The decline is not only related to the damaged image of microfinance. In early 2025, the Bank of Albania introduced a package of consumer protection measures, imposing new restrictions on small loans, reducing maximum interest rates and increasing transparency. These measures directly hit the practice of granting quick loans with dubious terms.
Representatives of the microfinance sector admit that the changes have significantly narrowed the client base. New requirements for income documentation and detailed analysis of expenses have excluded a good part of typical applicants. As a result, many citizens either no longer apply, or are forced to turn again to informal lending, which is even more expensive and outside of any legal guarantees. / Pamphlet
Lini një Përgjigje