The National Bank of Serbia says Alta Bank’s financial position had substantially deteriorated and its outlook could threaten depositors; this is the regulator’s stated basis for revoking the licence, not an independent audit of the bank. Serbia’s Deposit Insurance Agency says insured payments must begin no later than seven business days after the Belgrade Commercial Court issues an order opening bankruptcy proceedings. The court order had not been identified in the official notices reviewed by publication, so no payment start date is asserted. The agency says the guarantee is up to €50,000 per depositor and covers individuals, entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium legal entities. N1 reports that services were suspended after the licence decision. The photographs are dated archive context: the Alta Bank building was photographed on 31 August 2024; the National Bank of Serbia headquarters on 9 November 2023. They do not show events from October or November 2026.
The payout deadline has a legal trigger
Serbia’s central bank revoked Alta Bank’s operating licence on Oct. 30, saying supervisory measures had failed to stop a substantial deterioration in the lender’s financial position. The National Bank of Serbia said the trend could put depositors at risk and framed the intervention as a measure to protect them and preserve financial stability.
The next step is a court proceeding. The Deposit Insurance Agency says payments of insured deposits must begin no later than seven business days after the Belgrade Commercial Court issues an order opening bankruptcy proceedings. The agency’s notice does not establish that such an order has already been issued, so the seven-day period should not be read as running from the licence revocation itself.
Who is covered, and what the guarantee means
The statutory guarantee is capped at €50,000 per depositor, not per account. The agency lists individuals, entrepreneurs, and micro, small and medium-sized legal entities as eligible depositor classes. Foreign-currency balances are reimbursed in euros using the exchange rate on the bankruptcy date; dinar deposits are paid in dinars, according to the agency.
The cap limits the insured amount. It does not mean every customer will receive €50,000, or that balances above the limit are immediately recoverable. Claims beyond insured deposits would depend on the bankruptcy process and the bank’s remaining assets.
Banking services were suspended
N1 reported that card payments, transfers and branch services stopped after the licence was revoked. That leaves customers awaiting the formal notice and instructions that follow a court order. The agency says it must publish a depositor notice within three business days after the order, including information on how to claim.
The central bank’s decision is specific to Alta Bank. Its statement said Serbia’s banking sector remained stable, but no bank-specific balance sheet, total insured-deposit figure or number of affected customers was available in the notices reviewed.
Sources
4 references
- National Bank of SerbiaDecision to revoke Alta Bank’s operating licencePrimary regulator statement on the licence decision, its stated liquidity and financial-position concerns, and depositor protection. · 2026-10-30
- Serbia Deposit Insurance AgencyInformation for depositors of Alta BankPrimary depositor notice explaining the €50,000 guarantee, covered depositor categories and the court-triggered reimbursement timetable. · 2026-10-31
- N1 SerbiaSerbia central bank revokes licence of Belgrade-based Alta BankIndependent local reporting on the decision and suspension of bank operations; quotes the bank and authorities on next steps. · 2026-10-31
- Radio Television of SerbiaDeposit insurance payouts to start no later than seven days after bankruptcy beginsPublic broadcaster report corroborating the agency’s court-triggered seven-working-day deadline and coverage limit. · 2026-10-31
