Exim Banca Românească

Exim Banca Românească is a Romanian state-controlled bank headquartered in Bucharest. It originated in 1992 as the Export–Import Bank of Romania, commonly known as EximBank, and was established as a public limited company with the Romanian state as the majority shareholder. Its original role was centered on supporting Romanian companies involved in foreign trade and investment through export and import finance, guarantees, insurance and related corporate banking services. The institution's ownership structure reflects its policy-oriented character. According to the referenced description of the bank, 95.3% of its shares are managed by Romania's Ministry of Finance. The remaining shares are held by several Romanian investment companies, including SIF Banat-Crișana, SIF Moldova, SIF Transilvania, SIF Muntenia and SIF Oltenia. The bank is therefore distinct from a purely private commercial lender, although it operates as a banking institution and provides services to companies and, following its expansion, retail customers. A major strategic change took place in 2019, when the Export–Import Bank of Romania agreed with National Bank of Greece to acquire a 99.28% stake in Banca Românească. The transaction was intended to broaden EximBank's domestic banking presence and move it beyond its traditional corporate and export-supporting niche. By combining the EximBank and Banca Românească businesses, the institution gained a route into universal banking and increased its position in Romania's banking market. The transformation became visible on 10 May 2023, when the merged institution relaunched under the name Exim Banca Românească. The new identity signaled a change from a primarily corporate export-import bank to a universal bank serving a wider range of customers. Its activities continue to include trade finance and support for Romanian companies, while the broader model also encompasses general corporate banking and retail banking. The available reference material does not provide a complete current product catalogue, financial profile or executive roster, so those details are not expanded here. Exim Banca Românească has also participated in regional infrastructure-finance initiatives. In 2019, Romania's Export–Import Bank and Poland's Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego established the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund. The fund focuses on transport, energy and digital infrastructure in the Three Seas region, which includes twelve Central and Eastern European countries. Its stated ambition was to raise several billion euros and invest commercially in projects with a much larger aggregate value. This activity connects the bank's historical mandate of supporting trade and investment with a broader regional-development role. In brand and institutional terms, Exim Banca Românească combines three identities: a state-backed policy bank, a commercial bank serving corporate and retail clients, and a participant in regional investment initiatives. Its 2023 relaunch is the clearest recent turning point, marking the completion of the move toward a universal-bank model while retaining the EximBank heritage associated with export finance and public economic support.

Exim Banca Românească traces its institutional history to the creation of the Export–Import Bank of Romania in 1992. The bank was established as a public limited company with the Romanian state holding the majority position. Its initial identity was that of a specialized corporate and policy-support institution rather than a broad retail bank. The bank's principal purpose was to help Romanian businesses participate in international trade and investment by providing financing, guarantees, insurance and other instruments associated with export and import activity. The bank operated under the EximBank name for much of its early history. Its policy orientation was reflected in state control, while its services addressed practical financing needs for companies conducting cross-border business. The institution's ownership was managed primarily through Romania's Ministry of Finance. Minority shareholders included Romanian investment companies, but the state remained the dominant shareholder. A significant expansion began in 2019. EximBank signed an agreement with National Bank of Greece to acquire 99.28% of Banca Românească. The transaction gave EximBank access to a broader domestic banking platform and supported a strategic shift from a specialist corporate institution toward a universal commercial bank. The acquisition also increased the bank's presence in the Romanian banking market. The available source describes the transaction as increasing EximBank's market share by approximately three percentage points and placing it among the country's larger banking institutions, although a detailed numerical market ranking is not provided here. The bank's regional role also expanded in 2019 through the creation of the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund with Poland's Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. The fund was designed to invest commercially in transport, energy and digital infrastructure across the Three Seas region. The initiative linked EximBank's established focus on international commerce and investment with a wider Central and Eastern European infrastructure agenda. Following the integration with Banca Românească, the institution relaunched on 10 May 2023 as Exim Banca Românească. The new name preserved the EximBank heritage while communicating a broader national banking proposition. The relaunch marked the bank's transition from a primarily corporate export-import bank to a universal bank with both corporate and retail ambitions. The resulting institution combines public ownership, commercial banking and economic-policy functions. It continues to be associated with export finance, trade support, guarantees and investment promotion, but its post-merger identity covers a wider range of banking relationships. The supplied reference material does not document later ownership changes, detailed financial results, specific product launch dates or named executives; those fields are therefore left unreported rather than inferred.

1. 2023Relaunch as Exim Banca Românească

   After the merger with Banca Românească, the bank relaunched on 10 May 2023 under its current name and universal-bank positioning.

   Source
2. 2019Agreement to acquire Banca Românească

   EximBank agreed to acquire 99.28% of Banca Românească from National Bank of Greece, supporting its expansion into domestic universal banking.

   Source
3. 2019Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund formed

   EximBank and Poland's Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego established a fund aimed at transport, energy and digital infrastructure projects in the Three Seas region.

   Source
4. 1992Export–Import Bank of Romania established

   The institution was founded as a Romanian public limited company with the state as majority shareholder, initially focusing on export-import and corporate banking support.

   Source

A state-controlled Romanian universal bank with a policy-oriented heritage in export finance, trade support and investment promotion.

• Trade financeCorporate banking

  Trade-finance services support companies engaged in imports and exports. The bank's historical mandate includes financing and other banking instruments intended to facilitate cross-border commerce and the internationalization of Romanian businesses.

• Export and import financeExport finance

  Export-import financing is the institution's traditional specialist area. It is designed to provide Romanian companies with funding connected to foreign trade and investment activity, complementing guarantees and insurance instruments.

• Guarantees and insuranceRisk-support instruments

  The bank provides or is associated with guarantees and insurance intended to reduce commercial and financing risks in export, import and investment transactions. The supplied sources do not specify individual product names or eligibility rules.

• Universal banking servicesRetail and commercial banking2023

  Following the integration of Banca Românească and the 2023 relaunch, Exim Banca Românească operates with a broader universal-bank proposition. This encompasses domestic corporate and retail banking in addition to its export-supporting activities.

• Infrastructure investment financeInfrastructure investment2019

  Through the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund, the bank participates in a regional investment structure focused on transport, energy and digital infrastructure. The fund is intended to invest on a commercial basis across participating Central and Eastern European markets.

• 2023Relaunch as a universal bankStrategy

  The merger with Banca Românească created an opportunity to reposition the former specialist corporate bank for a wider domestic customer base.

  What changed. On 10 May 2023, the merged institution relaunched under the Exim Banca Românească brand.

  Aftermath. The relaunch formalized the bank's transition to a universal-bank model while retaining its export-import and policy-support heritage.

  Source
• 2019Acquisition of Banca RomâneascăM&A

  EximBank sought to broaden its domestic banking footprint beyond its traditional corporate export-import role. It signed an agreement with National Bank of Greece concerning a 99.28% stake in Banca Românească.

  What changed. The bank agreed to acquire the majority stake and integrate Banca Românească into its banking platform.

  Aftermath. The transaction supported EximBank's move into universal banking and preceded the 2023 relaunch under the Exim Banca Românească name.

  Source
• 2019Participation in the Three Seas Initiative Investment FundStrategy

  The Three Seas countries identified substantial infrastructure needs in transport, energy and digital connectivity.

  What changed. EximBank joined Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego in establishing an investment fund intended to raise several billion euros and invest commercially in regional infrastructure.

  Aftermath. The initiative extended the bank's investment-support role beyond individual Romanian exporters toward regional infrastructure projects.

  Target fundraising. EUR 3–5 billion target (2019)

  Source

• 2023EximBank relaunches as Exim Banca Românească

  Following the merger with Banca Românească, EximBank relaunched on 10 May 2023 under the Exim Banca Românească name, presenting itself as a universal bank rather than solely a corporate export-import institution.

  M&AProduct generation
  Source
• 2019Export–Import Bank of Romania agrees to acquire Banca Românească stake

  The Export–Import Bank of Romania signed an agreement with National Bank of Greece to acquire a 99.28% interest in Banca Românească. The transaction was intended to expand EximBank's presence in domestic banking and support its transition toward a universal-bank model.

  M&A
  Source
• 2019Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund established with Polish partner

  Romania's Export–Import Bank and Poland's Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego established an investment fund focused on transport, energy and digital infrastructure in the Three Seas region.

  M&A
  Source

1. Exim Banca Românească