Basisbank to Acquire Liberty Bank – National Bank of Georgia Launches Concentration Review

Basisbank is set to acquire Liberty Bank, and the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has initiated a concentration review procedure.

"The National Bank of Georgia is reviewing the compatibility of the potential concentration with the competitive environment, in relation to the proposed acquisition of 95.99% of JSC Basisbank’s shares (ID: 203841833) by JSC Liberty Bank (ID: 203828304)," the statement reads.
"Both entities operate within the banking sector."

The NBG is inviting interested parties to submit opinions regarding the proposed concentration until July 23, 2025. Submissions can be sent to the NBG’s office at 1 Zviad Gamsakhurdia Embankment, Tbilisi, or via email at info@nbg.gov.ge.

The potential acquisition was first reported by BMG in June and later confirmed on June 5 by Irakli Rukhadze, owner of Liberty Bank, who stated that “if the deal goes through, it will be very good for Georgia and its economy.”

Ownership and Market Standing of the Banks

Liberty Bank has long been Georgia’s third-largest bank. As of April 2025, its assets stood at 5.45 billion GEL, with a loan portfolio of 3.9 billion GEL. The bank earned a profit of 40 million GEL in the first four months of 2025.

Basisbank, owned by China’s Hualing Group, ranks fourth in Georgia’s banking sector with 4 billion GEL in assets and a loan portfolio of 3 billion GEL. The bank posted a profit of 31 million GEL over the same four-month period.

If the transaction proceeds, the merged entity would hold approximately 9 billion GEL in assets and a loan portfolio nearing 7 billion GEL, positioning it to control around 10% of Georgia’s banking sector by both assets and credit portfolio.