American Bank of Investments (Albania)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking, Financial services |
| Predecessor | Intercommercial Bank, Emporiki Bank Albania, Crédit Agricole Albania |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Tirana , Albania |
Area served | Albania |
| Owner | Tranzit sh.p.k (subsidiary of NCH Capital) |
Number of employees | 436 (2025) |
American Bank of Investments (ABI Bank) is a privately held commercial financial institution based in Tirana, Albania. Established in 1999, the bank provides a wide range of banking and financial solutions to individuals, small enterprises, and corporate customers throughout Albania. ABI operates under the authorization and supervision of the Bank of Albania.
The bank was initially launched as Intercommercial Bank before being renamed Emporiki Bank, functioning as the Albanian branch of Greece’s Emporiki Bank Group. In March 2010, the French Crédit Agricole Group acquired the Greek parent company, thereby incorporating the Albanian entity into Crédit Agricole Albania. Later, in October 2015, Crédit Agricole Albania was purchased by Tranzit sh.p.k, a subsidiary of NCH Capital—a New York-based private equity firm with multi-billion dollar assets and SEC registration. Following this acquisition, the institution was rebranded as American Bank of Investments. By March 2025, ABI maintained a network of 28 branches in key Albanian cities and employed a workforce of 436 individuals.
History
Founded in 1999 under the name Intercommercial Bank, ABI experienced multiple rebrandings before adopting the name Emporiki Bank Albania as part of Greece’s Emporiki Bank Group. The bank became part of Crédit Agricole Albania after Crédit Agricole Group acquired Emporiki in 2010.
In 2015, Crédit Agricole Albania was acquired by Tranzit sh.p.k, a company owned by NCH Capital. This transition led to its rebranding as American Bank of Investments and a strategic emphasis on broadening its presence within Albania’s financial services sector.
In July 2018, ABI expanded through the acquisition of Banka NBG Albania, the local subsidiary of National Bank of Greece (NBG), merging both organizations.
ABI has full ownership of ABI Invest and ABI Broker, which operate in investment and insurance sectors respectively. Additionally, it holds shares in the Albanian Stock Exchange (ALSE) and the Albanian Securities Register (ALREG), which serves as the main depository for non-government securities in Albania.
As of December 2024, ABI commanded a 6.7% share of the market based on total assets, making it the seventh largest banking institution in Albania.