The President of the National Bank of Georgia, Natia Turnava, participated in the economic forum “Sustainability of the Georgian Banking Sector – Challenges and New Opportunities”, where she discussed the performance, resilience, and future prospects of Georgia’s financial system.

During the panel discussion, Turnava highlighted that the Georgian banking sector is characterized by strong sustainability, rapid development, and positive assessments from international financial institutions.

“Georgia’s financial system is distinguished by its high transparency. Compared to countries in the region and Europe, our banks are among the best capitalized, with strong liquidity buffers, high asset quality, and healthy profitability, which is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainability,” she said.

She noted that banking sector assets currently exceed 108 billion GEL—more than 100% of GDP—while credit activity remains strong and total deposits have reached approximately 70 billion GEL. According to her, around 20–25% of deposits belong to non-residents, reflecting confidence in Georgian banks and a historically high level of international participation.

Turnava attributed these results to a stable macroeconomic environment and what she described as the National Bank’s balanced and effective policy.

She also outlined key challenges, including global economic volatility and regional instability, as well as structural risks related to financial dollarization.

The NBG President emphasized the importance of expanding Georgian banks into regional markets, stating that such expansion helps diversify income sources, broaden the customer base, and reduce reliance on the domestic market.

“In recent years, Georgia has developed one of the most technologically advanced financial systems in the region. Leading Georgian banking groups are increasingly active in regional markets, which strengthens the international positioning of the country’s financial sector,” she said.

Turnava added that successful regional expansion contributes to Georgia’s reputation as a financial services hub and supports deeper economic integration with neighboring markets.