ArmInfo. Despite the high  ratioof capital adequacy, at least among the largest players in the  Armenian banking market, the opportunities for its optimal use are  severely limited, Financial Director of one of the largest banks in  Armenia, former Minister of Finance David Sargsyan stated at a  banking conference organized by Fitch Ratings international agency  last week in Yerevan.

ArmInfo.The Armenian banking system sent 27.6 billion drams to the state treasury in the first half of 2018, which is 26% higher than the figure of a year ago. Of  this amount, over 87.3% or 24.1 billion drams was paid on direct  taxes (incl. tax on profits and income tax), with an annual growth of  40.6%. The top five banks of taxpayers - Ameriabank, ACBA-Credit  Agricole Bank, INECOBANK, Ardshinbank and VTB Bank (Armenia), sent to  the state budget in the first half of 2018 a total of 15.3 billion  drams (annual growth of 34.2%), of which 14 billion drams - on direct  taxes (annual growth of 33.3%). According to the RA State Revenue  Committee, in the first hundred of the largest taxpayers of Armenia  in the first half of 2018, out of 17 operating banks, 13 as many as a  year ago fell.

ArmInfo. In the banking system of Armenia, the concentration of assets among the top five leaders in this indicator increased in 2012-2017 from 46.5% to 55.2%. This amount of assets is distributed between Ameriabank, Armbusinessbank, Ardshinbank, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank and INECOBANK.  According to the Financial Rating of the Armenian Banks as of January 1, 2018, prepared by the Information Company ArmInfo, TOP-5 for credit investments includes the same banks with a total share in the total market value of 59.1% of the total loan portfolio. In 2012, the share of the leading five is 47.1%.

ArmInfo. The share of foreign capital in the total authorized capital of Armenian banks decreased from 2014 to 2017 from 74.6% to 61.8%. During this period, four participants emerged from the banking market, of which three were "daughters" of foreign banks. This is the German ProCredit Bank, Kazakhstan's BTA and Russian Gazprombank.

ArmInfo. "INECOBANK" CJSC became a  member of the securities settlement system of the Central Depository  of Armenia (CDA). As reported to ArmInfo in the press service of  NasdaqOMX Armenia, this took place on February 28. Thus, the Bank has  been assigned the status of a depository system account operator.

ArmInfo. INECOBANK increased  net profit for the year of 2017 by 36.2% to 7.02 billion AMD ($ 14.5  million), having moved up from the 3rd to the 2nd position.

ArmInfo. Contrary to the slowdown in the growth of lending, the banks of Armenia are making quite a high profit. According to the Express-Ranking of Armenian Banks, prepared by the Rating service of the IArmInfo Information Company , the growth rate of crediting in 2016-2017 from 16.5% slowed to 4.3%, however, the aggregate net profit of the banking system from negative dynamics in 26.4% in 2016 went to the positive 15.6%. It is noteworthy that the investments of banks in securities increased in 2017 more significantly - by 22.3%, rather than lending volumes, and at the same time, the balances on nostro accounts (including in the Central Bank) increased significantly.

ArmInfo. The customer base of Armenia's banking system totaled 2,364,116 individuals and 79,823 legal entities by October 2017. According to the Central Bank data, provided to ArmInfo by the National Statistical Service, a total of 2,443,939 customers had 4,481,182 accounts with Armenian banks, of which 4,316,133 are physical accounts and 165,043 are accounts of legal entities.

ArmInfo. The second stage of Converse Bank's promotion for MasterCard cardholders has been launched. Within its framework, the Bank offers its current and new customers to become Converse Bank's MasterCard Standard and MasterCard Gold cardholders on preferential terms and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the promotion.

ArmInfo. The banking system  of Armenia in January- September 2017 sent 31.7 billion drams to the  state treasury, which is 13.6% higher than the figure of a year ago.  Of this amount, over 89.3% or 28.3 billion drams was paid for direct  taxes (including income tax and income tax), with an annual growth of  12.8%. According to the RA State Revenue Committee, in the first  hundred of the largest taxpayers of Armenia in the first 9 months of  2017, out of 17 operating banks, 12 (12 out of 19 of those operating  in the same period in 2016) fell. Among them in the top five banks of  taxpayers - Ardshinbank, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, VTB Bank  (Armenia), Ameriabank and Armbusinessbank, which figured in the top  five and a year earlier. Over the first 9 months of 2017, the top  five banks sent 16.5 billion drams to the state treasury (annual  growth of 18.7%), of which 15.1 billion drams - on direct taxes  (annual growth of 18.9%).

ArmInfo.In the first half of  the year, the banking system of Armenia sent 21.9 billion AMD to the  state treasury, which is 12.9% higher than the figure of a year ago.  Of this amount, over 89% or 19.6 billion was paid on direct taxes  (including income tax and income tax), with an annual growth of  12.6%.

ArmInfo. INECOBANK completed the first half of 2017 with a net profit of 3.6 billion AMD, providing an annual growth of 81.3%. As the press service of the Bank told ArmInfo, the level of return on equity - ROE was brought to 15.8%. INECOBANK has secured the leading position in these indicators.

ArmInfo. The Armenian banking system sent 10.1 billion AMD to the state budget in the first quarter of 2017 (or 9.8 billion without taking into account the combined Areximbank and the Armenian Development Bank), which is 8.6% higher than the figure of a year ago. Of this amount, over 88% or 8.9 billion AMD was paid on direct taxes (including income tax and income tax), with an annual growth of 8.5%.

ArmInfo. Armenian banks customer base at the end of 2016 counted 2 413 943 physical and 79 609 judicial persons. According to Armenian National Statistic Service data, all together 2 493 558 customers had 4 553 107 amounts in Armenian banks, 4 368 596 from which amounts of physical and 184 511 judicial person?s amounts.

ArmInfo. The higher level of   dollarization and slow decrease of deposit rates restrict the shunt  of the Central bank in respect to the further softening of  monetary-loan term, but the main task of the regulator is  to provide  the prices sustainability.  Such a statement was made by Arthur  Djavadyan, the Chairman of  the  Central Bank of Armenia,  while  commenting on the margins of his interview to ArmInfo  the  possibility of  review of  refinancing rate decreased  on February 14  this year from 6,25% to 6%. He reminded that in the beginning of the  stage of monetary loan terms softening it formed 10,5 %, after which,  starting with August 2015 the Central Bank started to decrease  step  by step the key interest rate, to give a pulse to inflation and  consumer demand. He clarified that the consumer prices in Armenia  have been decreasing in Armenia recently due to economic crisis  in  Russia, affecting the consumer demand for the reason of  Armenian  nationals  money  transfers decrease from  Russia. 

ArmInfo. In 2016, Armenian banks  increased the financing of non- residents in twice - up to AMD 280 bln, while the residents financing growth formed 19,4% - up to 2,4 trln. It is remarkable that during last year the totallevel of capitalization of the system increased for 40% due to the necessity of  equity normative limits to be secured  by banks  at the limit of AMD 30 bln by January 1, 2017.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. The Minister of Economic Development and Investments of Armenia Suren Karayan and "Capital Locus" founder Avtandil Gogoli signed Memorandum of understanding on February 8th, aimed at amplification of the presence of international financial organizations and investment companies in Armenian business.

ArmInfo. In 2016, the  banking system of Armenia paid 34.4 bln AMD in taxes, 16.9% less than  in 2015. Over 88% or 30.1 bln AMD of this amount was paid in direct  taxes (including profit tax and income tax), with a 19.1% decline  versus 2015. According to the State Revenue Committee of Armenia, 12  out of the functioning 17 banks (versus 13 in 2015) were among the  top 100 taxpayers of Armenia in 2016. The top banks among the  taxpayers were Ameriabank, VTB Bank (Armenia), ACBA-Credit Agricole  Bank, Ardshinbank and INECOBANK, which paid 16.7 bln AMD in taxes  (down 22.3% versus 2015), including 15.1 bln AMD in direct taxes  (down 22.2% versus 2015).

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of Armenia should continue stimulating bank system enlargement in Armenia, Economist, former Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, Yerevan State University Assistant Professor Bagrat Asatryan said on a press conference on January 30.