Deposits held by non-residents in Montenegrin banks totalled approximately €1.131 billion at the end of April, declining by €118 million or 9.45% year on year. The share of non-resident deposits in total banking deposits decreased from 22.09% to 19.29% during the same period. Despite the decline in foreign-held deposits, total deposits in the banking system increased by 3.68% annually, reaching approximately €5.865 billion.
Household deposits record double-digit growth
Household deposits amounted to approximately €2.487 billion, accounting for 42.4% of total deposits. The household deposit balance increased by 13.08% compared with the previous year. Deposits from the non-financial corporate sector stood at approximately €1.616 billion. The increase in domestic household balances has maintained banking-sector liquidity despite the reduction in non-resident deposits, with the overall funding structure becoming more concentrated in domestic sources.
Banking liquidity developments under monitoring
The changes in deposit composition are being monitored alongside developments in real-estate transactions, foreign-company activity and capital inflows. A continued decline in non-resident deposits could reflect changes in banking-client structures, a normalisation following previous inflows or reduced external liquidity entering Montenegro.
National instant-payment system scheduled for launch
Montenegro is preparing to introduce its national instant-payment service on 20 July. The technical and operational infrastructure for the system has been reported as ready, while the remaining requirement is the completion of necessary legislative amendments. The introduction of instant payments is expected to reduce settlement times and support digital payment services, with the practical impact depending on bank pricing policies and merchant adoption.
