Nearly 20% of Russian banks were in loss during the first two months of 2026, with small banks hit particularly hard.

According to data from the Central Bank of Russia, nearly 20% of banks in Russia were operating at a loss during January and February 2026.

Since the beginning of the year, the number of loss-making credit institutions has risen from 34 to 60. The Russian Central Bank stated that the majority of these loss-making entities are small banks, collectively accounting for less than 1% of the total assets in the banking sector.

Experts believe this situation stems from restrictive monetary and credit policies: borrowers are struggling to repay loans with high interest rates, while competition among high-quality lending clients continues to intensify across industries.

Under these circumstances, large banks in Russia remain profitable, whereas medium- and small-sized financial institutions are deeply entrenched in financial difficulties.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864494652785664/

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