National Bank of Georgia wins international award for innovation

The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has been named winner in the “Excellence in Innovation – Open Banking & Regulatory Sandbox Ecosystem Georgia 2026” category at the Global Banking & Finance Awards 2026, organised by the international publication Global Banking & Finance Review.

According to the National Bank, the accolade represents international recognition of the NBG’s initiatives to advance financial innovation, establish an open banking ecosystem, and develop its regulatory sandbox.

“In recent years, the National Bank of Georgia has taken significant strides towards developing an innovative financial ecosystem, bolstering competition, and fostering the adoption of financial technology. Central to this process has been the rollout of open banking infrastructure alongside the regulatory sandbox, which allows fintech firms and financial sector institutions to test innovative products and services in a live environment under close regulatory supervision.

In conferring the international award, particular weight was given to the National Bank’s approach, which aims not merely to support innovation, but to implement practical solutions that deliver tangible benefits to consumers and the wider market. Under this framework, the National Bank, through open banking and the regulatory sandbox, has facilitated initiatives that significantly streamline access to digital financial services, boost competition, and unlock new opportunities for the fintech sector.

A standout success in this journey has been the Open Banking Onboarding API, which dramatically simplified remote customer identification and account opening for financial institutions. Furthermore, projects successfully delivered within the regulatory sandbox have demonstrated in practice that an innovative regulatory model fosters both the growth of new businesses and the creation of more competitive, efficient financial services for consumers.

The Global Banking & Finance Awards are an international scheme conferred annually upon leading financial sector institutions and organisations for innovation, leadership, and the implementation of best practice. The awards aim to celebrate initiatives that make a substantial contribution to the development and transformation of the financial sector.

This recognition reaffirms the National Bank of Georgia’s commitment to modernising the nation’s financial sector, championing financial innovation, and embedding international best practice,” the NBG statement reads.