Updated October 31, 2026. Serbia’s central bank has withdrawn the operating licence of ALTA banka a.d. Beograd after supervisory checks found a serious deterioration in its financial condition. The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) says the decision is intended to protect depositors and financial stability.
What happened?
The regulator says its earlier supervisory measures sought to improve the bank’s liquidity, but concerns persisted. On October 30, the NBS revoked the bank’s licence and initiated the steps for bankruptcy administration. The Deposit Insurance Agency is to administer the process under a court decision.
This is a decision about a specific bank. It should not be presented as evidence that deposits at every Serbian bank are unsafe.
Are deposits protected?
The NBS confirms that insured deposits are protected up to €50,000 per depositor under the applicable deposit-insurance rules. It says the Deposit Insurance Agency will enable payment of insured amounts and make funds available within seven business days, in line with the law. That is a regulatory timetable, not a promise that every individual payment will arrive on a specific calendar date.
The authorities say customers will be informed where and how insured deposits can be collected. Customers with claims above the insured limit should follow the official procedure for lodging their remaining claims; the treatment of each claim depends on the applicable rules and the bankruptcy process.
What should customers do now?
- Check official announcements from the NBS and the Deposit Insurance Agency rather than forwarding unverified social-media messages.
- Keep records of account numbers, recent statements, deposit agreements and correspondence, stored securely.
- Be cautious about payment links or requests for passwords. Do not disclose online-banking credentials or pay anyone who claims they can accelerate insured-deposit compensation.
- If you have a loan with the bank, do not assume the licence withdrawal cancels the debt. The NBS says borrowers remain obliged to repay; instructions on further payments will follow.
What is still unknown?
As of this update, customers should rely on further official notifications for the designated paying bank, the claims procedure and any account-specific details. The NBS has not said that everyone must physically visit a branch immediately. There is no reason to invent a payment location or a starting date before those details are announced.
Primary sources: NBS licence-withdrawal announcement and NBS explanation of depositors’ rights.
More SRBIJA NEWS coverage: What is known about deposit repayments (Serbian) and A warning about suspicious messages (Serbian), and the depositor guide in Russian.
Editorial note: This is a public-information guide, not personal financial or legal advice. We will correct it if official procedures change.
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