ArmInfo. Armenia's Ministry of and Social Affairs has released a list of banks participating in a 10%  cashback programme for pensioners. 

ArmInfo. In the banking sector of Armenia, the volume of lending accelerated in growth in 2023 from 13%  to 21%, reaching 5.8 trillion drams ($14.2 billion). But this was not enough to save profits from the decline, which, after a 3-fold jump in 2022, decreased by 9.2% in 2023, amounting to 229.9 billion drams ($567.9 million). This is evidenced by the data of the Financial Rating of Banks of Armenia as of December 31, 2023, prepared by  ArmInfo. 

ArmInfo. In 2023, the banking system of Armenia doubled tax payments to the state treasury - up to AMD 123.5bln ($305 million), of which AMD 71.5bln were for direct taxes (with an annual increase of 39.7%).

ArmInfo. The net profit of Armenian banks dropped by 9.2% in 2023 (after 3-fold increase  in 2022), amounting to 229.8 billion drams ($567.8 million) due to the deterioration of the y-o-y dynamics of non-interest income from a  4-fold increase to an almost 2-fold decline. Moreover, on a quarterly terms, profit began to decrease in Q3, then fell sharply down (-35%) in Q4, according to the data of the Express Ranking of Banks of Armenia as of December 31, 2023, prepared by ArmInfo IC.

ArmInfo. Since the introduction  of the 10% cashback program for pensioners and people receiving  benefits when paying with bank cards, from July 2022 to November  2023, Armenian pensioners have made non-cash purchases totaling 62  billion drams. Cashback amounted to 5.2 billion drams. Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan announced today at a meeting of the Cabinet of  Ministers.

ArmInfo.In 2024, the program for the return of pensions and benefits for transactions on  non-cash payments for beneficiaries will not undergo any changes, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Armenia Vahe Hovhannisyan stated on December 6, during the presentation of the final version of  the draft state budget of Armenia for next year. 

ArmInfo.The banking system of Armenia in Jan-Sept 2023 sent 111.8 billion drams or $284.1 million to the state treasury through taxes, which is 2.4-fold higher than the year-ago. Of this amount, 91.1% or 101.9 billion drams were paid for direct taxes (including profit tax and income tax), with an increase of 2.6-fold over the year, according to the data from the State Revenue Committee.

ArmInfo.The information on social networks about the alleged withdrawal of funds from social  assistance by Armenian banks to forcibly displaced residents of Artsakh is pure insinuation and fake.

ArmInfo.Commercial banks in Armenia are currently conducting an inventory of tangible and  intangible assets in order to get a complete picture of the problems  that have arisen as a result of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

ArmInfo.At the end of H1 2023 two Armenian banks, Ameriabank and Ardshinbank entered the TOP-5 of the list of 1000 largest taxpayers in Armenia, ranking 4th and 5th,  respectively, in annual terms (from 18th and 24th in H1 2022). This  is evidenced by the data of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia.

ArmInfo. The banking sector of  Armenia in Q1 2023 increased tax payments to the state treasury by  58% per annum - up to 20.5 billion drams ($52.7 million). Of this  amount, 85.7% or 17.6 billion drams was paid in direct taxes, with a  y-o-y increase of 62%. This is evidenced by the data of the State  Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia on the list of 1000  large taxpayers of the country, according to which, 9 banks were  included in the first hundred of the list (as in the previous year).

ArmInfo. As part of the EU4Business initiative the EU launched in Armenia in July 2021, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Armenian  financial institutions signed EUR 30mln credit lines, Lilit Gharayan  Team Leader EU4Business- EBRD Credit Line Armenia, said at the forum  entitled "EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line in Armenia - Impact to date  and Way Ahead" on April 14.  

ArmInfo. In Armenia, the total volume of plastic transactions accelerated y-o-y growth from 26.3% in  2021 to 34.7% in 2022, exceeding 4.4 trillion drams or $11.3 billion (including transactions abroad with cards of Armenian issuing banks).  This is evidenced by the data of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia, according to which the volume of transactions carried out  abroad with the cards of the issuing banks of Armenia increased 2.1-fold on a y-o-y terms up to 456.5 billion drams or 1.2 billion  dollars (10.3% of the total plastic transactions).

ArmInfo.Armenian banks' net profit totaled AMD 263bln ($668mln) last year - a 3-fold growth in 2022 due to an unprecedented 4-fold increase in noninterest incomes. 

ArmInfo. This January-September, the volume of plastic card transactions showed a 33.1% growth, up to AMD 3,020bln, against a 21.6% growth last January-September (including transactions effected abroad by means of Armenian issuing banks'  cards).

ArmInfo. Non-interest incomes from currency transactions remain the main factor of the unprecedented increase in the Armenian banks' profits, according to the data of the ARMINFO- compiled Express Ranking of Armenia Banks for September 30, 2022.  According to the data, the total net profits of the banks showed a  2.8-fold year-on-year increase, up to AMD 187.8 or $463mln at the  current exchange rate. 

ArmInfo. As of July 1, 2022, over 2.8mln plastic cards were effective in Armenia, including  co-badging cards ArCa-MIR and Russian MIR cards, with a slower increase - from 8.3% to 7.7% - which is lower than the 9.1% increase in the corresponding period of 2020 and must lower than the 22.2%  increase in 2019. In the first half of 2022, 95,600 more cards were issued, with 67,400 cards issued in the 2nd quarter. The cause is the relocation of the capital to Armenia by a larg number of Russian residents. 

ArmInfo.In H1 2022, the banking system of Armenia sent more than 32 billion drams or $80.7 million to the state treasury through taxes, which is 31% more than a  year ago.

ArmInfo. As of April 1, 2022, over 2.7mln plastic cards were effective in Armenia, with an extremely moderate increase - 3.5% in the corresponding period of 2021 to 7.5%,  which is much lower than the 17.3% and 17.5% in 2019 and 2020  respectively.

ArmInfo.On May 4, Armeconombank started the primary placement of regular tranches of dollar and dram nominal, coupon and non-documentary bonds with issue volumes of $  5mln and 1.5bln drams.