In an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the head of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andrii Pyshnyi, expressed hope for the recovery of investments in the banking sector in 2025. He emphasized that the key factors for this are the preservation of macro-financial stability, a well-thought-out fiscal policy and, most importantly, the reduction of security risks.
Pyshnyi noted that the bill on the privatization of state-owned banks adopted by the parliament creates new opportunities for attracting private investors. According to the memorandum with the IMF, Sens Bank and Ukrgasbank are identified as priorities for the start of the privatization process. "I hope 2025 will bring good news," he said.
The sustainability assessment conducted by the NBU showed that all banks meet regulatory requirements. Pyshnyi emphasized that the banking system has an operating profit and a growing appetite for lending, which reflects positive changes in the income structure.
However, there are serious obstacles to investment, including a protracted war and unstable tax policies. "Increasing the bank profit tax to 50% is an extraordinary measure, but its repetition complicates communication with investors," Pyshnyi explained.
The head of the NBU also commented on the decrease in the number of financial market participants from 67 to 62 over the past two years. The departure of banks is associated with various factors, such as insolvency and systemic violations of financial monitoring requirements. Pyshnyi noted that some banks independently decided to refuse the license after assessing their condition.
