TBI Bank expands its operations in the EU by entering Greece as a third main market of operation

TBI Bank, one of the most dynamic lenders in Eastern Europe, is entering the Greek market after obtaining approval from the Bank of Greece. This makes Greece the bank’s third main market of operations, alongside Romania and Bulgaria. Over the past 20 years, the Bank has developed unique know-how in the field of phygital all inclusive lending, as well as in-store and online point-of-purchase financing for the benefit of both merchant partners and end-customers.

TBI Bank currently offers its financial products to retail and SME customers in Romania and Bulgaria, in addition to cross-border activities, without physical presence, in 5 other EU markets – Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, and Sweden.  As an inclusive lender and one of the fastest growing banks in South-Eastern Europe, TBI has a wide network of nearly 13.000 merchant partners online and in-store and a customer portfolio of 2 million clients. For years, TBI has been recognized among the most profitable and efficient banks in the region.

Starting from the beginning of 2022, merchants and customers in Greece will benefit from TBI’s innovative and fully digital solutions. As first steps, the Bank will offer the full range of Buy Now, Pay Later products online, in-store and omnichannel, in a transparent approach. Later in 2022, additional customer journeys will be deployed in the market like the general-purpose loans and the innovative NEON card.

Being the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market leader in Romania and Bulgaria, TBI will also transfer its unique know-how on the Greek market over 2022. This cutting-edge solution helps merchants across all industries to sell more and customers to instantly acquire their desired product or service, both online and in-store, and spread the cost of their purchase over time. By splitting repayments in 4 or more installments, TBI’s BNPL will offer a new convenient payment solution that is currently missing on the Greek market.

These products will be accessible to Greek customers online, via TBI’s Mobile App and website, and through the Call Center.

“Entering Greece is a natural expansion for us, since we’re already successful with our digital product portfolio in Romania and Bulgaria, providing end customers convenient financing solutions, and merchants the opportunity to increase their sales. Being BNPL pioneers on our current main markets of operation, our goal is to become BNPL leader in South-Eastern Europe by expanding to Greece and to transfer our fintech mindset to the market”, says Petr Baron, CEO of TBI. 

TBI’s team in Greece will be led by Costas Tovil, an industry expert with almost 20 years of fintech and banking experience in Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.  

“We want to become the alternative payment provider of choice for the Greek consumers, giving them the ability to manage their finances in a transparent and seamless manner. Our preliminary discussions with the merchants and consumers about our BNPL solution and overall proposition are very positive. We plan to offer our services to the customers in the first quarter of 2022”, says Costas Tovil, SVP Greece.

TBI Bank is an inclusive lender focusing on consumers, merchants, and SMEs by providing financing and additional embedded services through a wide network of ‘phygital’ channels and platforms. Currently operates in Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and Greece. TBI Bank is part of 4finance, one of Europe’s largest digital consumer lending groups. Through various digital channels, an own network of 300 physical locations and trusted partnerships with nearly 13,000 small and large merchants and retailers, TBI has a customer portfolio of 2 million clients in 2021 and issued nearly 500,000 loans. Its successful business model and customer-focused approach resulted in becoming one of South-Еastern Europe’s most profitable and efficient banks as well as recognized as the leader among Bulgarian banks in Sustainability and Dynamics (Capital – K10, 2021).