The National Bank has received an application from Pochta Bank. Is there Chinese capital involved?

In Kyrgyzstan, the topic of establishing a “Post Bank” has been revived. The National Bank informed Akchabar that at the end of 2025, it received an application for a license to establish such a bank.

The regulator explained that such applications are reviewed in accordance with the law and may take up to six months from the date of receipt of a complete and compliant set of documents. Based on the results of the analysis, the National Bank decides whether to issue a license to establish the bank or to refuse.

It should be noted that the initiative to create Pochta Bank in Kyrgyzstan was announced back in August 2023. At that time, plans were announced to create the bank with the participation of Kyrgyz Post and the Sichuan-based investment fund management company Hongxingde. The project was presented as the country's first postal-banking format, aimed at expanding the population's access to financial services through a wide regional network.

At that time, it was reported that the future “Post Bank” was to become a universal commercial bank capable of providing banking services through the postal infrastructure, including remote and underserved regions.

However, it is currently unclear whether the application submitted to the National Bank is a direct continuation of that initiative involving a Chinese investor or whether it is a new, independent project under the same brand.