Parliament approves law on financial inclusion, paving the way for creation of postal bank
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted in the second reading draft law No. 13018-d , which creates the legal framework for the introduction of a new type of banks – financial inclusion banks. This was announced by Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy.
The bill paves the way for the creation of the first postal bank in Ukraine.
According to the document, the financial inclusion bank will operate on the basis of a limited banking license.
The main goal of such a bank is to provide basic financial services to citizens and micro-enterprises who currently do not have stable access to banking services (located in areas close to the combat zone, in liberated territories, as well as for those who are socially vulnerable groups of the population).
The document establishes for the first time at the legislative level the terms "financial inclusion", "limited banking license", "financial inclusion bank", and also expands the powers of the National Bank of Ukraine in this area.
It is expected that the first such bank in Ukraine will be a postal bank based on Ukrposhta.
In January 2025, the government transferred shares of the First Investment Bank to a state-owned company, which will allow the creation of Ukrposhta Bank, a financial institution with a network of over 6,000 points in the most remote corners of the country.
- Ukrposhta has long wanted to create its own bank and over the past few years has tried to buy three institutions: Alpari, Sich, and PINbank. All this time, the National Bank opposed it, as it would violate the terms of the memorandum between Ukraine and the IMF, which provided for a reduction in the state's share and concentration in the banking system.
- In July 2024, it became known that the IMF had agreed to create a postal bank.
- After that, a draft law on limited banking activities was developed, which provides incentives for new players to enter the financial market, including postal operators (not only Ukrposhta), retail, and others.