Summary
- Cross-border instant payments agreement signed January 2025
- QR code-based instant payments in development via World Bank project
- UniCredit dominates with 25.17% market share
- Currency board: BAM fixed to EUR
- 22 commercial banks as of September 2024
Banking landscape
Central Bank
- Name: Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CBBH)
- Website: https://www.cbbh.ba/
- Role: Currency board, monetary stability (no lending)
Major Banks (2024)
| Rank |
Bank Name |
Total Assets (BAM M) |
Market Share |
Owner |
| 1 |
UniCredit Bank d.d. Mostar |
8,072 |
25.17% |
UniCredit (Italy) |
| 2 |
Raiffeisen Bank d.d. BiH |
5,673 |
17.69% |
Raiffeisen (Austria) |
| 3 |
ASA Banka d.d. Sarajevo |
3,348 |
10.44% |
Private (BiH) |
| 4 |
Intesa Sanpaolo Banka |
2,952 |
9.21% |
Intesa (Italy) |
| 5 |
NLB Banka d.d. Sarajevo |
~2,000 |
~6% |
NLB (Slovenia) |
Market Structure
- Foreign Dominance: UniCredit, Raiffeisen, Intesa, NLB
- 22 Banks Licensed: September 2024
- Two Entities: Federation BiH and Republika Srpska
- ASA Banka: Largest domestic private bank
Entity Banking Structure
- Federation of BiH: Most major banks
- Republika Srpska: Separate banking licenses
- Unified central bank (CBBH)
Payment infrastructure
National Payment Systems
| System |
Operator |
Type |
Status |
| CBBH RTGS |
CBBH |
Real-time gross |
Active |
| Card Networks |
Various |
Card payments |
Active |
| Instant Payments |
Developing |
World Bank project |
2025-2026 |
Currency Board Arrangement
- BAM pegged to EUR at 1.95583:1
- No monetary policy flexibility
- Ensures macro-financial stability
- Full foreign exchange backing
World Bank Payment Modernization
- Part of Western Balkans initiative
- Fast Payment Systems with QR codes
- Cross-border interoperability goal
- EU standards alignment
QR code standards
No Established National QR Standard
Bosnia and Herzegovina does not yet have a country-specific QR payment standard. Current status:
| Feature |
Type |
Status |
| National QR Standard |
Not established |
Developing |
| Instant Payments |
World Bank project |
2025-2026 |
| Bank-specific QR |
Limited |
Some banks |
| Card payments |
Primary |
Dominant |
Cross-Border Instant Payments Agreement (January 2025)
| Attribute |
Value |
| Signed |
January 10, 2025 (Rome) |
| Parties |
Albania, BiH, Kosovo, N. Macedonia, Montenegro |
| Timeline |
18 months from signing |
| Features |
QR codes, instant transfers |
World Bank Initiative
- Fast Payment Systems development
- 24/7 instant fund transfers
- QR code functionality
- Cross-border trade facilitation
- Reduced costs for businesses
Mobile Banking QR
- Some banks offer QR login authentication
- Limited payment QR features
- Digital banking growing rapidly
Mobile payment apps
| App Name |
Bank |
Mobile Banking |
QR |
Digital Focus |
| UniCredit mBanking |
UniCredit |
Yes |
Limited |
Strong |
| Raiffeisen mBanking |
Raiffeisen |
Yes |
Limited |
Best 2024 |
| ASA Banka Mobile |
ASA Banka |
Yes |
Limited |
Growing |
| Intesa Mobi |
Intesa |
Yes |
Limited |
Active |
Raiffeisen Digital Leadership
- Best digital bank in BiH 2024
- Modern mobile banking
- Growing digital adoption
Digital Banking Growth
- All major banks offer mobile apps
- Online banking standard
- Digital transformation ongoing
- COVID accelerated adoption
Schemes
Sources
Full country report
BA-bosnia-herzegovina.md