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Bulgaria: lending & credit regulation

Regulated

Bulgaria lending regulation: BNB oversight under Credit Intermediation Act; no specific VASP rules

Lead regulator:
Bulgarian National Bank (BNB)
Key law:
Credit Intermediation Act (2007)
Last updated:
2026-07-12

Consumer credit and lending activities in Bulgaria are primarily regulated under the Credit Intermediation Act, with the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) serving as the main supervisor for credit institutions and intermediaries. The provided documents confirm the BNB's regulatory scope through ordinances governing credit statistics, the Central Credit Register, and collateral enforcement procedures.

The BNB mandates strict reporting and data submission requirements for participating financial entities, ensuring transparency in granular credit data and liability consolidation. While the provided texts do not detail specific licensing capital floors for new entrants, they establish a robust framework for ongoing supervision and risk monitoring of existing regulated entities.

Recent regulatory direction emphasizes data integrity and efficient non-judicial collateral recovery mechanisms. The legal framework supports the auction of movable collateral without court litigation, streamlining the resolution of defaulted loans while maintaining procedural safeguards.

Who regulates

  • Bulgarian National Bank

    Primary supervisor for credit institutions, money market funds, and the Central Credit Register; issues ordinances on credit statistics and collateral procedures.

    [1][2][3]

Core laws & rules

  • Ordinance No. 17 (2018)

    Establishes procedures for reporting monetary, interest rate, financial accounts, and granular credit data to the BNB.

    [1]

  • Ordinance No. 22 (2009)

    Regulates the Central Credit Register, mandating participating institutions to submit credit liability data.

    [2]

  • Ordinance No. 35 (2006)

    Sets the legal framework for the auction sale of movable collateral placed as security with a bank without court litigation.

    [3]

Licensing & registration

  • Credit Intermediation / Lending

    The provided documents do not specify the initial licensing application process or capital requirements for new credit intermediaries, but confirm ongoing regulatory oversight and data reporting obligations for licensed entities.

    Low confidence — verify with the regulator before relying on this.

Restrictions & warnings

  • Participating institutions are mandated to submit granular credit data and credit liability information to the BNB and the Central Credit Register.

    [1][2]

  • Auction of movable collateral must follow specific procedural requirements established by Ordinance No. 35, even when conducted without court litigation.

    [3]

Direction of travel

  • The regulatory environment focuses on enhancing data transparency and operational efficiency in credit markets through standardized reporting and streamlined collateral enforcement.

    [1][3]

Sources

  1. Ordinance No. 17 of the BNB of 29 March 2018 on Monetary and Interest Rate Statistics, Financial Accounts Statistics, Money and Foreign Exchange Market Statistics, and Statistics of Granular Credit and Credit Risk Data · 2018-03-29
  2. Ordinance No. 22 of the BNB of 16 July 2009 on the Central Credit Register · 2009-07-16
  3. Ordinance No. 35 on the Procedure for Auction Sale of Movables Placed as Collateral with a Bank · 2006-01-20

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This guide is compiled automatically from 3 primary-source documents published by Bulgaria's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-07-12). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.