Doreel Norok
According to Noroc, for the banking sector, the tax increase means additional payments totaling approximately 400–420 million lei. Across the financial sector as a whole, the government expects additional revenue of about 600 million lei. This amount likely also includes insurance companies and non-bank credit institutions.
The chairman of the Association of Banks notes that over the past 12 months, about 2.8 billion lei of banks’ profits were used to increase their capital, which allowed them to expand lending to the economy.
“The rule is simple, as the Prime Minister said: one leu of capital allows for six lei in loans to the economy. Because these 2.8 billion lei remained in the banks’ capital from the profits they earned in 2025, the banks were able to increase their loan portfolio in the economy by 20 billion lei, bringing it to 114 billion lei. Now, given that the tax rate will be higher—rising from 12% to 18%— — this means that a portion of these profits—specifically, about 400–420 million lei in the banking sector—will not go toward the banks’ capital but will be transferred to the budget. “This means that the banking sector’s maximum lending capacity, based on a one-to-six ratio, will decrease by approximately 2.5 billion lei,” Noroc stated on public radio.
At the same time, the chairman of the Association of Banks emphasizes that this measure does not imply a reduction in the volume of loans issued by banks. According to him, lending will continue to grow; however, in the event of increased demand for loans from the economy, banks’ ability to finance that demand will be more limited.
“This will have a direct impact on the lending process. But, as I’ve already said, I want to emphasize once again: we’re talking about the sector’s maximum capacity to finance the economy. The banking sector, for example, currently finances the economy to the tune of 140 billion lei. Its maximum lending capacity is higher than that. And as a result of this reform, that maximum capacity will be reduced by 2.5 billion lei,” Noroc confirmed.
The one-year increase in the income tax rate from 12% to 18%—which the authorities also refer to as the “solidarity tax”—is to be the subject of consultations between representatives of the banking sector and the Ministry of Finance.
