Advent International has finalised its acquisition of tbi bank after receiving regulatory clearance from the European Central Bank in mid-February 2026, the company announced.

The transaction, initially unveiled in April 2025, marks a significant deployment of capital into the Southeast European financial services sector. Advent oversees more than €85bn, equivalent to approximately $92bn, in assets under management and has completed 448 investments across 44 countries.

The acquisition strengthens Advent’s footprint in Central and Eastern Europe and builds on its global experience investing in regulated financial institutions and payments platforms.

tbi bank operates as a mobile-first challenger bank and a regional leader in alternative payment solutions. The business combines financing and shopping services to support both merchants and consumers. It currently operates in Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, serving 2.7m customers through digital channels and a network of more than 38,000 merchant partner stores. In 2025 alone, the bank issued over 1m loans.

“The completion of the acquisition of tbi bank reinforces Advent’s long-term commitment to Central and Eastern Europe, where we continue to deploy capital by combining deep local insight with global expertise,” said Milan Kulich, Managing Director at Advent. “We look forward to working with Petr, Ariel and their team to further strengthen tbi’s position as a leading technology-driven bank in Southeast Europe.”

With Advent’s backing, tbi plans to deepen its digital capabilities and further strengthen cooperation with its merchant network, positioning the bank for continued expansion across the Southeast European market.

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