Moldova's largest bank MAIB may list its shares on Romania's exchange

Talks have started with the Moldovan authorities so that Moldova Agroindbank (MAIB), the largest bank in the country by assets, to have its shares listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), announced Nicu Marcu, president of the Romanian financial supervisory authority (ASF), the regulator of the capital market.

"Steps are being taken to list the largest bank in the Republic of Moldova. There are aspects that make us confident. For quite some time, ASF has started the steps together with the Central Bank of Moldova, with the Moldovan Capital Market Supervisory Authority, to harmonize the legislation so that MAIB can be listed in Bucharest as soon as possible," Nicu Marcu said at the Moldova Romania Capital Bridges Forum organized by BVB and MAIB on September 13, Ziarul Financiar reported.

MAIB, the largest credit institution in the Republic of Moldova, with a market share of 32% and assets of approximately MDL 39 bln (EUR 2 bln), is preparing the listing at Bucharest Stock Exchange in an offer scheduled for 2023 through which the bank will access the financing necessary for development.

Among the owners of MAIB, there are the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Horizon Capital, as well as 3,000 other shareholders - both institutional and small investors.

"This decision is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, which we will obtain. We also explored other markets, and I am happy to say that we are quite confident that the Bucharest Stock Exchange suits us best", Giorgi Shagidze, CEO of MAIB bank, told Ziarul Financiar daily on September 7, 2022.

(Photo source: Bvb.ro)