# Albania — payment codes and schemes

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AL
> extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

## Summary

- **SEPA membership** achieved November 2024
- **No unified national QR standard** yet established
- **EasyPay/iute** provide QR-based payment services
- **Raiffeisen Albania** dominates with 25.87% market share
- **Instant payments** infrastructure developing

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Bank of Albania (Banka e Shqipërisë)
- **Website:** https://www.bankofalbania.org/
- **Role:** Monetary policy, payment system oversight

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Total Assets (EUR) | Market Share | Owner |
|------|-----------|-------------------|--------------|-------|
| 1 | Raiffeisen Bank Albania | 4,222 M | 25.87% | Raiffeisen (Austria) |
| 2 | Banka Kombëtare Tregtare | 3,216 M | 19.71% | Çalık Group (Turkey) |
| 3 | Credins Bank | 2,246 M | 13.76% | Private (Albania) |
| 4 | Intesa Sanpaolo Albania | 1,852 M | 11.35% | Intesa (Italy) |
| 5 | OTP Bank Albania | 1,470 M | 9.01% | OTP Group (Hungary) |

### Market Structure
- **Foreign Dominance:** Austrian, Turkish, Italian, Hungarian banks
- **12 Banks Licensed:** As of 2024
- **Consolidation:** Stable after 2000s restructuring
- **Credins:** Largest domestic private bank

### Banking Development
- Post-communist transformation complete
- Strong foreign bank presence
- Growing digital adoption
- EU integration driving modernization

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| AIPS | Bank of Albania | RTGS | Active |
| AECH | Bank of Albania | ACH clearing | Active |
| Card Networks | Various | Card payments | Active |
| SEPA | EPC | Credit transfers | Nov 2024 |

### SEPA Membership (November 2024)
- **Joined:** November 2024
- **Type:** Non-EEA SEPA country
- **Impact:** EUR transfers to 36 countries
- **Banks:** Connecting progressively

### Instant Payments Development
- Bank of Albania promoting instant payments
- Infrastructure being developed
- SEPA Instant future goal
- Mobile payment growth

---

## QR code standards

### No Unified National QR Standard

Albania does not yet have a country-specific QR payment standard. Current status:

| Feature | Type | Status |
|---------|------|--------|
| National QR Standard | Not established | N/A |
| EasyPay QR | Private | Active |
| iute QR | Private | Active |
| Bank-specific | Limited | Developing |

### EasyPay Albania

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Type** | Payment platform |
| **QR Support** | Yes |
| **Services** | Bills, transfers, top-ups |
| **Coverage** | Nationwide |

### EasyPay Features
- Utility bill payments
- Mobile top-ups
- Money transfers
- QR code payments at agents
- Kiosk network

### iute Credit Albania

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Type** | Digital lender/wallet |
| **QR Support** | Yes |
| **Focus** | Consumer credit |
| **Digital** | App-based |

### iute Features
- Digital lending
- Payment services
- QR-enabled transactions
- Mobile-first approach

### Bank Mobile Apps
- Raiffeisen, BKT, Credins have mobile apps
- QR features limited
- Focus on transfers and bills
- Growing digital capabilities

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App Name | Bank | Transfers | QR | SEPA |
|----------|------|-----------|-------|------|
| Raiffeisen ON | Raiffeisen | Yes | Limited | Yes (2024) |
| BKT Smart | BKT | Yes | Limited | Yes (2024) |
| Credins Mobile | Credins | Yes | Limited | Developing |
| ISP Albania | Intesa | Yes | Limited | Yes (2024) |

### Digital Banking Growth
- Mobile banking adoption increasing
- Young population tech-savvy
- Urban-rural digital divide
- Banks investing in apps

### Payment App Landscape
- Bank apps dominant
- EasyPay for bills/transfers
- Limited fintech presence
- Growing e-commerce

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [EasyPay QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AL/easypay-qr) | Private QR | QR Code | Active | — |
| [Card Payments](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AL/card-payments) | Cards | EMV | Growing | — |

## Sources

- [Bank of Albania](https://www.bankofalbania.org/)
- [Raiffeisen Albania](https://www.raiffeisen.al/)
- [BKT - Banka Kombëtare Tregtare](https://www.bfrk.com/)
- [Credins Bank](https://www.credins.com/)
- [Intesa Sanpaolo Albania](https://www.intesasanpaolobank.al/)
- [EasyPay Albania](https://www.easypay.al/)
- [iute Credit Albania](https://iutecredit.al/)
- [TheBanks.eu - Albania](https://thebanks.eu/countries/Albania/major_banks)
- [European Payments Council - SEPA](https://www.europeanpaymentscouncil.eu/)
- [Albanian Association of Banks](https://www.aab.al/)

## Full country report

[AL-albania.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AL)