Jet Bank has launched Albania's first digital-only bank, built entirely on Backbase's AI-Native Banking OS.
The institution received its banking licence as a greenfield entity in March 2026, meaning the licence was newly granted rather than acquired through an existing institution. A team of 70 professionals built the bank over six months, a timeline that contrasts with the years typically required to launch a licensed bank from scratch. The bank was developed without any legacy code, operating entirely on Backbase's AI-native infrastructure from the outset.
Albania's financial services sector has historically been characterised by substantial cash usage, and public demand ahead of the launch reflected latent appetite for digital banking alternatives. More than 75.000 people had joined the bank's waiting list before operations began, with registered users now receiving invitations to activate accounts on a rolling basis. In addition, account opening and management are conducted entirely through a mobile application, with core banking services available in real time.
At launch, customers have access to multi-currency current accounts, savings accounts, term deposits, and JetPlans dedicated savings goals, as well as virtual and physical debit cards and foreign exchange services. In-app live chat and secure messaging are also available. Loans and credit cards are expected to be added in the coming months, and conversational and agentic AI capabilities are planned for a later stage.
Technology platform and strategic framing
The Backbase AI-Native Banking OS underpins Jet Bank's full operational stack, enabling customer, employee, and AI agent interactions to be handled from a single unified layer, rather than across the disconnected systems that characterise many established financial institutions. The model reflects an approach to bank architecture that prioritises platform unification over modular legacy integration.
Fatbardha Rino, chief executive of Jet Bank, stated that the decision to enter the Albanian market was informed by confidence in the country's economic potential and its population. Rino noted that the partnership with Backbase made it possible to bring the bank to market within months, with a model designed for continuous improvement.
Jouk Pleiter, chief executive of Backbase, indicated that launching a licensed bank with a small team in such a short timeframe would, until recently, have been considered unrealistic. Pleiter described the approach as building on a single AI-native foundation rather than inheriting fragmented legacy systems, enabling a unified operational front-end for customers, employees, and AI agents from day one.
Jet Bank is the first digital-only licensed bank in Albania and, according to both companies, represents a reference point for digital banking development across the Western Balkans.
