How can cooperation between banks, savings houses, and non-bank financial institutions be further strengthened? Why is non-bank microfinance important for financial inclusion and economic development? How are digitalization and artificial intelligence transforming lending?

These are some of the key questions that will be addressed at the third edition of the international MicroBalkans 2026 conference, which will bring together more than 200 representatives of the financial sector from 15 European countries at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Skopje on September 24 and 25.

Under the motto “Lending Reimagined,” the conference will bring together financial institutions, regulators, experts, investors, companies, and innovators to discuss the changes already shaping the financial industry—from the digitalization of lending and the application of artificial intelligence to access to capital, EU regulations, and the development of responsible, sustainable, and more inclusive financial solutions.

Opening addresses will be delivered by the Governor of the National Bank of North Macedonia and the Minister of Digital Transformation, while other prominent representatives and renowned financial sector experts from the region and Europe are also expected to participate.

Non-bank and microcredit institutions from Western Balkan countries that are members of the Alliance will also take an active part, further confirming the regional character and importance of MicroBalkans 2026 as a platform for exchanging experience, fostering regional cooperation, and developing the financial sector.

The conference is organized by the Group of Non-Bank Financial Companies at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia and savings houses, in partnership with the Western Balkans Alliance and the European Microfinance Network.

“The financial sector is no longer discussing whether it will transform, but rather how quickly and responsibly it will do so. MicroBalkans aims to make Skopje one of the places where this conversation takes place—bringing together banks, savings houses, non-bank financial institutions, microcredit institutions, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders who can jointly create better access to finance and a more competitive financial sector,” the organizers emphasize.

From Artificial Intelligence to New Financing Models

Throughout the two-day program, through panel discussions, workshops, and expert sessions, MicroBalkans 2026 will address some of the most pressing issues shaping the future of the financial sector.

The focus will be on the digitalization of lending, the application of artificial intelligence and new technologies, access to capital, new financing models for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, regulatory changes at the EU level, and responsible digital borrowing.

One of the key areas of focus will be financial inclusion—how financial services can become more accessible and how microfinance, in cooperation with the banking sector, can contribute to the development of entrepreneurship, small businesses, and local economies.

Skopje as a Hub for Regional Financial Dialogue

MicroBalkans 2026 aims to provide a space where regional experience meets EU financial trends and where different parts of the financial ecosystem can engage directly in discussions on concrete solutions, partnerships, and future models of cooperation.

The conference is intended for representatives of non-bank financial institutions, microcredit institutions, savings houses, banks, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, fintech and IT companies, investors, development finance institutions, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders.

MicroBalkans 2026 is not merely a conference about the financial sector. It is a regional platform for shaping the future of lending—more inclusive, more digital, more sustainable, and better connected to the EU financial market.

Registration is open. For more information, the program, and registration, interested participants can visit the official MicroBalkans 2026 website and the conference's official social media profiles.