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Raiffeisen agrees €591m deal for Garanti BBVA Romania

The Austrian lender buys out a mid-sized rival to climb from fifth to third in Romanian banking, as BBVA retreats from the market.

M&A News deals deskFinancials / Banking · Europe28 Mar 2026

Raiffeisen Bank International agreed on 28 March to acquire Garanti BBVA Group Romania from BBVA for €591m, through its Romanian subsidiary Raiffeisen Bank S.A.

Garanti BBVA Romania website: garantibbva.ro

Why Raiffeisen Bank International AG is buying Garanti BBVA Group Romania

RBI said it plans to merge the acquired businesses with its Romanian operations to capture operating and cost synergies. The deal is expected to make Raiffeisen Bank S.A. the country's third-largest bank by total assets, based on first-half 2025 market shares.

“RBI has a strong capital position and is pursuing growth organically and through acquisitions in its core markets.”Johann Strobl, Chief Executive, Raiffeisen Bank International

Deal terms and financing

The €591m price covers all shares in Garanti Bank S.A. and Motoractive IFN S.A. and is subject to closing adjustments. RBI expects the deal to cut its group CET1 ratio by about 60 basis points at closing, from 15.5% excluding Russia at the end of 2025.

Regulatory approvals and timing

The transaction requires regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Market context

Garanti Bank has operated in Romania since 1998 and serves retail, SME and corporate customers. RBI's Romanian units had €17.5bn of assets and 2.3m customers at the end of 2025. Romanian press reported that RBI beat ING and Intesa Sanpaolo for the business, according to EFE via Valencia Plaza.

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