Raiffeisen buys BBVA’s Romanian unit for €591M, becoming country's third-largest bank

Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) agreed to acquire the Romanian operations of Spain's BBVA for approximately €591 million ($680 million). The deal includes Garanti BBVA's banking unit, Garanti Bank S.A., and its leasing arm, Motoractive IFN S.A.

This acquisition positions Raiffeisen's local subsidiary as Romania's third-largest bank by total assets. Raiffeisen views the transaction as a strategic expansion into a core Central and Eastern European market.

BBVA expects the sale to add approximately €112 million to its income statement. The transaction will likely improve BBVA's CET1 capital ratio by about 10 basis points. The Spanish lender is divesting the assets to optimize its global footprint. The deal remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.