This indicator shows an increase in lending activity compared to previous months, with new loans amounting to LE 6,722 million in February 2026 and LE 5.2 billion in January.
Consumer loans prevailed among citizens (about 1.73 billion lei). The average interest rate amounted to about 10.6%, and the most popular loan term was from 2 to 5 years.
Mortgage loans started to shrink in March. Consumer loans became more in demand than mortgages. For the first quarter of 2026, consumer loans exceeded mortgage loans for the first time. Mortgage loans totaled approximately LE 892 million in March. At the same time, the total amount of mortgage portfolio in the country exceeded 30 billion lei.
The National Bank introduces new measures from June 2026, limiting the maximum term of mortgages to 30 years and tightening the assessment of borrowers’ solvency to reduce the risks of sustainability of the banking system.
The NBM is concerned, noting the increase in risks – for the first time, the level of problem mortgages exceeded the banking system average, reaching 4.6% in January-March 2026. About 18% of mortgage loans have current payment delays. But, compared to previous months, the mortgage market in March shows signs of cooling down amid a decline in the population’s interest in long-term debts.
