Banka Kombëtare Tregtare

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Banka Kombëtare Tregtare (BKT) is the largest and oldest commercial bank in Albania, with roots dating back to the National Bank of Albania in 1925. In the 1990s, Albania reformed its banking system, creating two state banks to handle foreign trade and domestic trading. In 1993, these two banks—Banka Tregtare Shqiptare (BTSH) and Banka Kombëtare e Shqipërisë (BKSH)—merged to form BKT. The bank became a joint‑stock company in 1997 and was privatized in 2000.

In July 2000, Parliament approved a sale to a consortium of Kentbank (60%), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) (20%), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (20%). The transfer took effect in October 2000, and later that year the new shareholders recapitalized BKT with $10 million. By 2003, paid‑up capital reached about $14.6 million, making BKT the most capitalized bank in Albania.

In 2006, ownership shifted when 60% plus 2% of Kent Bank’s shares were transferred to the Çalık‑Seker Konsorsiyum Yatirim A.S. BKT expanded into Kosovo, and by 2007 opened 24 branches, becoming the largest Albanian bank in the region. In 2009 Çalık Financial Services bought out IFC and EBRD shares, making Çalık the bank’s sole shareholder.

Today, BKT is part of Çalık Holding and offers a wide range of banking services, with headquarters in Tirana, Albania, and a presence in Pristina, Kosovo. In 2021 it held about 26% of Albania’s banking market.