"Muras Bank": a new player with a focus on the securities market and digitalization

Over the past two years, Kyrgyzstan’s banking system has demonstrated not only stability and growth in key economic indicators but also become an attractive platform for new entrants. In the past year alone, several new banks have been registered in the country, whereas the last commercial bank was established back in 2010.

Just last week, on June 3, "Muras Bank" CJSC was registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is known that its sole founder is financier Sergey Ents, while the new bank will be led by an experienced banker, Azamat Omuraliev.

The Akchabar editorial team spoke with the head of the newly established bank to learn more about Muras Bank’s goals and strategy.

— Hello, Azamat Anarbekovich. Could you please tell us about "Muras Bank" — what is its concept and what are the key areas of its operations?

— Hello. Yes, indeed, we have very recently received a positive decision from the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic to establish "Muras Bank" CJSC. This is a conceptually new format for the country’s banking system. We plan to focus on securities operations — both in the domestic market and on international exchanges. Currently, this niche is underdeveloped in Kyrgyzstan, yet it is a crucial area for attracting investment and boosting the country’s financial activity.

— In the bank's registry, Sergey Leonidovich Ents is listed as the founder. Could you tell us more about him?

— Yes, you are correct. The sole founder is Sergey Leonidovich Ents — a citizen of Cyprus with extensive experience in the banking sector, particularly in securities and guarantees.

He was engaged in banking business in Russia for a long time, but over the past three years, he has completely exited all assets in the Russian Federation. Incidentally, he and his team were responsible for placing Kyrgyzstan’s government securities on external markets. It was during that time that the idea of establishing a financial institution in our country first emerged.

— What other areas does the bank plan to develop? Who will be your target audience?

— We do not plan to compete with large retail banks and will not attract clients by offering inflated interest rates. Our approach is balanced, with a focus on minimizing risks. The bank will concentrate on highly liquid instruments, servicing corporate clients, investors, and high-net-worth individuals interested in capital management.

We also emphasize digital technologies, meaning we will not develop a branch network; instead, we will offer robust remote services. In the future, our app will become a gateway not only to banking services but also to government and potentially private services that are in demand in everyday life.

— Thank you for the interesting conversation. We wish you and the "Muras Bank" team success in this new chapter!

— Thank you. We hope that "Muras Bank" will secure a worthy place in Kyrgyzstan’s banking system and bring benefits to the economy and its clients.