Georgia's microbanking sector could attract new players within the next one to two years, according to MBC CEO Gia Petriashvili, who says several microfinance organizations have the potential to obtain microbank licenses if they restructure their business models.
Speaking to BMGTV , Petriashvili noted that most microfinance institutions currently focus on consumer lending, while microbanks are required to allocate more than half of their loan portfolios to business and agricultural financing. He said institutions meeting this requirement, alongside capital and portfolio size criteria, could qualify for a license.
Petriashvili added that the most significant milestone would be the entry of an international financial institution into Georgia's microbanking market. "A foreign company's decision to obtain a microbank license would be the clearest indication that both the model and the regulatory framework are attractive not only for local players but also for international investors," he said.
Georgia currently has two licensed microbanks—Crystal and MBC—which together account for less than 1% of the banking sector. According to National Bank data, the sector posted a combined net profit of GEL 10.5 million in the first half of 2026, with GEL 771 million in loans and GEL 58.3 million in deposits.
