Georgia’s banking landscape is undergoing a major shift: Basisbank, the country’s fourth-largest bank by assets, has acquired Liberty Bank, the third largest. The deal covers a controlling 95.99% stake previously owned by businessman Irakli Rukhadze’s Hunnewell Partners, though the transaction value remains undisclosed. According to the National Bank of Georgia, which completed its review in mid-2025, the acquisition does not pose risks to market competition.
Basisbank: Current Position
Basisbank is a major financial institution offering banking, leasing, and insurance services to corporate, SME, and retail clients. The bank is owned by China’s Hualing Group, whose shareholders are Chinese businessmen Zou Yiwe (46.76%) and Mi Zaiqi (51%).
As of February 2026:
- Total assets: 5 billion GEL
- Loan portfolio: 3.57 billion GEL
- Deposits: 3.6 billion GEL
- Net profit (2025): 122.4 million GEL
- Return on Equity (ROE): 14%
- Share of the banking sector: 4.73%
Liberty Bank: Current Position
Liberty Bank serves over 1.7 million individuals and more than 60,000 SMEs, operating Georgia’s largest service network with nearly 500 branches and 700 ATMs nationwide. The institution employs over 5,600 people.
As of February 2026:
- Total assets: 6.1 billion GEL
- Loan portfolio: 4.42 billion GEL
- Deposits: 4.41 billion GEL
- Net profit (2025): 128 million GEL
- ROE: 15.7%
- Share of the banking sector: 5.80%
Until the acquisition, Liberty was owned by Hunnewell Partners founders: Irakli Rukhadze (31.31%), Benjamin Albert Marson (31.31%), and Igor Alekseev (31.31%), with Rukhadze serving as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Size of the Merged Bank
Following the merger, the combined financial institution will be one of the largest in Georgia:
- Total assets: 11.18 billion GEL - 10.53% of the banking sector
- Loan portfolio: 8 billion GEL - 10.9% of the sector
- Deposit portfolio: 8 billion GEL - 11.5% of the sector
This positions Basisbank–Liberty as a significantly strengthened competitor in Georgia’s banking market, forming a new major player alongside the country’s largest banks.
