Regulatory AlertsArmenia: lending & credit regulation
RegulatedLending regulated by CBA under Law on Banks; no specific fintech lending licence
- Lead regulator
- Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
- Also involved
- —
- Core law
- Law of the Republic of Armenia on Banks and Banking Activity
- Entry capital
- —
- Approval timeline
- —
- Customer assets
- —
- Data protection
- Law on Personal Data Protection · Data Protection Inspectorate
- Sandbox
- —
Monthly snapshots:2026-07
Lending activities are primarily regulated under the Law on Banks and Banking Activity. The CBA supervises credit institutions and enforces prudential standards, including recent amendments to credit risk calculation criteria. Non-bank lending entities must navigate specific licensing requirements distinct from traditional banking.
Which licence do you need?
| Your activity | Requirement | Capital | Timeline | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer lending | Licence Requires banking or microfinance licence | — | — | Central Bank of Armenia |
| SME / commercial lending | Licence Requires banking or microfinance licence | — | — | Central Bank of Armenia |
| Microfinance | Licence Specific microfinance institution licence | — | — | Central Bank of Armenia |
| Buy-now-pay-later | Uncertainverify with regulator Unclear if treated as consumer credit | — | — | — |
| P2P lending platform | Uncertainverify with regulator No specific P2P framework identified | — | — | — |
| Credit bureau / scoring | Uncertainverify with regulator Subject to data protection laws | — | — | — |
| Debt collection | Uncertainverify with regulator Regulated under consumer protection laws | — | — | — |
New — what changed recently
- 2025-06-13Resolution No. 94-N — Revised criteria for selecting rating organizations for credit risk calculation[1]
- 2025-06-13Resolution No. 93-N — Established strict eligibility requirements for external rating organizations
Market-entry checklist
- 1Determine licensing entityIdentify if banking or microfinance licence is required
- 2Review prudential standardsComply with CBA credit risk calculation resolutions
- 3Ensure data complianceAdhere to Personal Data Protection Law requirements
- 4Consult legal counselVerify specific requirements for non-bank lending models
Sources
This guide is compiled automatically from 1 primary-source documents published by Armenia's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-08-01). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.