finance

In 2024, Armenian banks reported 1,084 fraud cases to the Central Bank of Armenia. A year later that number had climbed to 1,690, a clear sign that financial scams are spreading faster and growing harder to recognize. Together with the Central Bank, we walk you through the most common schemes operating in Armenia today and the simple steps that can keep your money safe.

When it comes to the retail investment options available in the market, one name has managed to achieve brand recognition to an impressive extent – Freedom Broker Armenia. We spoke to director Ovak Ovakimian about the company’s efforts to develop retail investment, educate the public, and shape this aspect of Armenia’s capital markets scene.

As digital financial tools become part of everyday life, IDBank and Idram have made financial literacy a defining part of their work. Regional Post spoke with Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of the Communications and Social Responsibility Programs Division, about why teaching people to use money well has become inseparable from the business of banking, and about the campaign they’ve built to close the gap.

Concepts like investment and financial management are beginning to take root among the general population in Armenia, but what about those looking to move beyond individual transactions toward solutions to secure the wellbeing of their future generations? We talked to Irina Belysheva, Chief Executive Officer of Wilco Wealth Management, about how the company’s wealth management services are taking the market to the next level, using a holistic approach and promoting a longer-term mindset.

What do you do if you have laid the ground for a robust, effectively-regulated financial system, but citizens’ prosperity ultimately depends on their relationship with money and their capacity to manage it? The Central Bank of Armenia launched an online resource to help educate the population on this topic. We spoke to Davit Kharatyan, whose team continues to lead this effort, to learn more about ABCFinance.am.

As a financial institution that powers the growth of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in Armenia, Evocabank is actively driving the agenda of sustainable development in the country. We spoke to Karen Yeghiazaryan, Chairman of the Management Board, about how this aligns with his company’s values and his vision for the future.

Better Payments and Capital Markets connectivity, Banking transformation, smarter Microfinance solutions for rural customers, Insurance process optimization, and the rise of useful Financial Technology Startup solutions. These are just some of the changes that are coming with the rise of fintech in Armenia. Regional Post spoke to Stefan Lucas, the Chairman & CEO of FinTech Armenia, about what his organization is doing to build and develop the fintech sector—positioning Armenia as a serious player on the global stage.

How do you guide an entire society through the transition from traditional money habits to modern financial literacy in a rapidly changing economy? Armen Ktoyan, Board Member of the Central Bank of Armenia, talked to us about the National Financial Education Program, how it has evolved, and the results they are now seeing.

After five years of dedicated support to war veterans, allowing them to boost their education and careers, 4090 Foundation brought beneficiaries and partners together for an event earlier this year to mark the successful achievement of its mission. We take a look back at the remarkable story of this organization and the journey it has undertaken.

Financial literacy is not seen as an optional add-on or a social program in Armenia; it is a core topic that has elicited a strategic outlook and an ecosystem-based approach. In an interview with Armen Nurbekyan, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), we take a closer look at the vision behind this approach and how it will impact the population of the country