Serbia revokes Alta Banka licence: insured deposits up to 50,000 euros

Serbia's central bank has revoked the operating licence of Alta Banka a.d. Beograd. The National Bank of Serbia's Executive Board decided on 30 October 2026, and the decision was announced the next day. Bankruptcy proceedings opened on 3 November, and insured deposits of up to 50,000 euros per depositor will now be paid out on a legal timetable, through a named paying bank, rather than on demand.

What happened

The National Bank of Serbia said inspections found the bank's financial condition had deteriorated significantly, with a risk of further weakening of its finances or liquidity, putting depositors' interests at risk. The decision followed supervisory controls and temporary measures aimed at improving the bank's liquidity.

On 2 November, the Public Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime arrested three Alta Banka officials on suspicion of embezzling about 45 billion dinars (about $428 million) from the bank's vault, according to SeeNews.

The bank's accounts have been blocked since 30 October, its cards and domestic and foreign currency payments are suspended, and its branches are closed. Queues formed outside a branch in Novi Sad on the morning of the announcement.

Who it affects, and from when

The closure affects Alta Banka depositors in Serbia. Management of the bank passes to Serbia's Deposit Insurance Agency, which the Commercial Court in Belgrade appointed as bankruptcy administrator on 3 November 2026. Insured deposits are protected up to 50,000 euros per depositor, regardless of how many accounts that person holds. The cover applies to individuals, entrepreneurs, and micro, small and medium-sized businesses; large legal entities and state bodies are not covered.

The agency's board has named Banka Postanska Stedionica, the Postal Savings Bank, as the paying bank. The agency published its payout notice on 6 November 2026: insured deposits are paid out from 13 November 2026 through Banka Postanska Stedionica, and the list of branches where the money can be collected, with phone numbers, is published on aod.rs and on the paying bank's site, posted.co.rs. Depositors have three years to collect their insured amounts, until 3 November 2029, and the Deposit Insurance Fund has enough money to pay all of them, the agency says. Dinar deposits are paid out in dinars and foreign currency deposits in euros, at the middle exchange rate on 3 November 2026. The agency also published its call for small investors to file claims for protected receivables on 6 November: cover runs to 20,000 euros in dinar equivalent, claims are due by 3 May 2027, and payment starts no later than three months after the agency's list of recognised claims.

Alta Banka told broadcaster N1 that payouts would begin on Monday 2 November. They did not. Payouts can only start once the court opens proceedings, and the court did so on 3 November, so the start date now comes from the agency's notice: payouts begin on 13 November 2026.

Pensioners paid through Alta Banka have a separate deadline. The 1,965 people who received their pension through the bank must choose a new bank by 20 November 2026 and send proof of the account to the Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, the PIO Fund. Until then their pensions arrive through the Postal Savings Bank. October pensions go into temporary accounts opened for them: self-employed pensioners have already been paid, military and farmer pensioners are due on 5 November, and employees on 10 November.

What it means in general terms

Deposit insurance covers the insured slice only. Amounts above 50,000 euros per depositor become claims in the bankruptcy, and how much of that money comes back depends on what the bank recovers and where depositors sit in the order of creditors. A licence revocation also stops the bank operating at once, so even protected money can be out of reach for a short gap while the payout process runs.

Borrowers are not released from their debts. Loan instalments, including mortgages, continue under their existing contracts, with agreed interest rates and reference rates still applying. The agency has now published its instructions: overdue dinar amounts go to a dinar account at the National Bank of Serbia, number 780-282-42, with the loan number in the reference field.

The closure covers the Serbian bank. Alta Banka AD Bitola in North Macedonia, a separate legal entity, said it is liquid and operating normally, with branches and ATMs open as usual.

Last verified 6 November 2026. The bankruptcy ruling, the paying bank and the payout timetable are as stated by the Deposit Insurance Agency on 6 November 2026. The payout start date is 13 November 2026, as published in the agency's notice of 6 November 2026.