Bulgarian banks generated EUR 490 million by March 31, marking a 7.7% increase from the previous year, according to the Bulgarian National Bank on Thursday. At the end of March, the banking system’s balance-sheet equity reached EUR 15.1 billion, an increase of EUR 82 million, or 0.5%, compared to the end of December 2025. Impairment charges accrued on financial assets not measured at fair value through profit or loss totaled EUR 149 million by the end of March, up from EUR 64 million in the corresponding period of 2025.
For the first quarter of 2026, the banking system’s assets amounted to EUR 119.5 billion, an increase of EUR 3.4 billion, or 0.3%. The liquidity coverage ratio at the end of March was 278.6% (compared to 280.6% at the end of December 2025). The liquidity buffer was reported at EUR 35.9 billion, while net outflows reached EUR 12.9 billion (compared to a liquidity buffer of EUR 35.1 billion and net outflows of EUR 12.5 billion as of December 31).
Total gross loans and advances stood at EUR 79.3 billion by the end of March, representing a 7% month-on-month increase of EUR 5.2 billion. Claims on lending institutions rose by EUR 2.6 billion, or 29.2%, to EUR 11.7 billion. The overall gross loan portfolio expanded by EUR 2.6 billion, or 4%, reaching EUR 67.6 billion.
Loan increases were noted for households, which saw a rise of EUR 1.2 billion, or 4.2%, and for the general government sector, which increased by EUR 254 million, or 32.4%. Total deposits in the banking system reached EUR 99.8 billion by the end of March, up EUR 2.4 billion, or 2.5%, from the end of February. Household deposits increased by EUR 1 billion, or 1.8%, while deposits from credit institutions rose by EUR 950 million, or 10.7%.
Conversely, deposits from other financial corporations saw a decrease of EUR 390 million, or 15.5%. Gross non-performing loans and advances at the end of March were EUR 2.2 billion, an increase of EUR 223 million (11.1%) from the end of December 2025.
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