NBU cut nine financial companies from Ukraine’s market in September 2026 as payment institutions rose to 17

Ukraine’s non-bank financial market kept shrinking in September 2026, with the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) annulling all licenses of nine financial companies. The payment side moved in the opposite direction: payment institutions increased from 15 to 17, while the number of financial institutions allowed to provide payment services fell to nine.

1. As of 1 October 2026, Ukraine had 708 non-bank financial market participants, down from 717 a month earlier. The number of banks with valid banking licenses stayed unchanged at 59.
2. In September, the NBU annulled all licenses of nine financial companies. Six of them applied voluntarily, while three lost their permissions involuntarily. At the same time, the regulator issued a license to one new legal entity, which then became a financial company.
3. The NBU also adjusted the scope of permitted operations for several firms: one company had its license expanded for financial services, six firms had their allowed services narrowed, one financial company had a specific type of financial service removed from its license, and one existing financial company received a license for foreign exchange operations.
4. The biggest decline was in financial companies, whose number fell from 378 to 370. The collection agency segment also lost one participant, dropping from 72 to 71. Other non-bank segments were unchanged.
5. On 1 October 2026, Ukraine had 43 non-life insurers, 10 life insurers, one insurer with special status, 96 pawnshops, 76 credit unions, one lessor, and 40 insurance brokers. Financial groups remained unchanged at 14 banking financial groups and 40 non-banking financial groups.

On the payments side, Ukraine had 13 payment systems created by resident companies, including two state-owned systems, and 10 international payment systems. The number of commercial agents increased from 101 to 103, while the number of banks that issue e-money and postal operators providing payment services remained at one each.