Optima Bank is facing increased regulatory scrutiny after Greece's banking supervisor imposed two administrative fines totaling €1.169 million this year over deficiencies in the lender's anti-money laundering controls and information technology risk management.
The sanctions were imposed by the Bank of Greece's Credit and Insurance Committee (EPATH), the supervisory body responsible for overseeing banks and insurers. The larger penalty, under Decision 564/2026, amounted to €1.099 million after regulators identified 15 breaches of the country's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework. A second decision, 566/2026, imposed an additional €70,000 fine for shortcomings in the bank's management of information and communication technology (ICT) risks and the security of its IT systems.
Optima Bank does not appear to have challenged either decision, effectively accepting the sanctions. Despite their significance, neither fine is disclosed in the bank's interim financial statements.
The regulatory findings come as Optima continues to report strong operational and balance-sheet growth.
Net profit after tax rose 29% year-on-year to €104.3 million in the first six months of 2026, from €81.1 million a year earlier. Return on tangible equity reached 27.2%, which the bank said was the highest among Greek lenders and the second-highest in Europe. Its cost-to-core income ratio fell to 22.6%, a level Optima also described as the best in Greece and among the strongest in Europe.
Balance-sheet growth remained robust. Loan disbursements increased 19.3% from a year earlier to €2 billion during the first half, while the outstanding loan portfolio expanded 37% to €5.8 billion. Customer deposits also climbed 37% to nearly €7.1 billion, helping lift total assets by 39% to €8.7 billion.
The bank also strengthened its capital position through its inaugural €200 million Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond issue in June. According to Optima, the offering was oversubscribed 11 times, making it the most heavily subscribed euro-denominated AT1 issuance by a Greek borrower and the highest oversubscription for a comparable European transaction in Europe so far this year.
Optima also highlighted two Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, recognizing it as Greece's best bank for customer experience and for serving small and medium-sized enterprises. The bank reported a Net Promoter Score of 87.55, which it described as a world-class level of customer satisfaction.
ollowing the first-half performance, management raised its full-year guidance and now expects 2026 net profit to exceed €210 million, up from its previous target of at least €195 million.
