China's Alma Finance Bank received a license and became Kyrgyzstan's 23rd commercial bank

The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan announced that, by a decision of the regulator's board dated January 14, Alma Finance Bank, a closed joint-stock company, was granted a license to conduct banking operations in national and/or foreign currency.

This means that Alma Finance Bank has officially entered the country's banking system and has become the 23rd commercial bank operating in Kyrgyzstan.

Earlier, Akchabar reported that Alma Finance Bank had applied for a banking license in the last days of 2025. Applications from Asman Bank and Muras Bank were at a similar stage of consideration at that time. At the same time, Kylim Bank, owned by the Ministry of Finance, had not submitted an application for a license to the National Bank by the end of December 2025. The regulator also clarified that Freedom Bank Kazakhstan had not submitted an application to the National Bank to establish Freedom Bank KG.

We would like to add that on December 30 last year, while considering the license application, the National Bank approved a key appointment at Alma Finance Bank, approving the candidacy of Bakhtiyar Isaev for the position of deputy chairman of the board.

We would like to remind you that at the end of 2025, the banking system of Kyrgyzstan was expanded with the addition of a 22nd bank, Bereket Bank CJSC. Thus, the granting of a license to Alma Finance Bank increases the number of market participants.