National Bank of Georgia (NBG) President Natia Turnava announced that a dispute involving American Express and two Georgian banks was resolved positively, leading AmEx to open its card network to all banking institutions operating in the country.
Speaking at the parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, Turnava emphasized that the NBG’s role is to act as a neutral arbiter in the financial sector to ensure fair competition and protect consumer interests. She noted that while banking-sector concentration has historically been high, the payments sector is becoming increasingly competitive, supported by NBG’s regulatory policies such as open banking and expanded market access for new operators.
According to Turnava, the dispute concerned the issuance of Amex cards, which had previously been available only through one bank. However, as of July 2025, American Express has opened its network to all commercial banks in Georgia. Turnava highlighted that this outcome was directly linked to NBG’s involvement in resolving the disagreement.
“We remain ready to review any similar violations in the future, should we receive complaints,” Turnava stated.
On July 25, 2025, American Express publicly announced its readiness to collaborate with any Georgian bank interested in issuing or acquiring Amex global network cards. The NBG welcomed this decision at the time, noting that it would significantly enhance competition in the Georgian payments market.
