Governor Ismaili at the 100th anniversary ceremony of the Bank of Albania and participant in the panel of the international conference in Tirana

The Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (CBK), Mr. Ahmet Ismaili, participated as a speaker at the International Conference held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Bank of Albania, with the theme: “A century of central banking: From institutional foundation to regional anchor,” organized by the Bank of Albania.

The conference addressed the latest developments in the global economy, Europe strategies and future challenges, monetary policy issues, and the evolving roles of central banks amid rapid economic and technological changes as well as topics related to stable coins, monetary sovereignty, and the future of money.

Governor Ismaili took part as a speaker in the panel titled “Stable Coins, Sovereignty, and the Future of Money,” moderated by Ms. Natasha Ahmetaj, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania. At the beginning of his remarks, Governor Ismaili congratulated the Bank of Albania on its 100th anniversary, describing this milestone as a historic moment not only for the institution itself but also for the financial system of the entire region. He expressed his gratitude to the Bank of Albania for its close and enduring cooperation with the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo, a partnership reflected in the exchange of professional experiences, staff capacity development, and technical assistance in strategically important areas for financial stability and development.

In his speech, Governor Ismaili emphasized that digital evolution is transforming the way economies and financial services operate, directly influencing financial inclusion, payment efficiency, financial stability, and monetary integrity. He highlighted the importance of steering this digital revolution responsibly and noted that Kosovo with its young population, the widest internet penetration in the region, and suitable technological infrastructure holds significant potential for the development of digital financial services.

The Governor outlined Kosovo’s ongoing reforms in digitizing payment infrastructure, expanding access to finance, successfully implementing the basic payment account, and other strategic initiatives, such as enabling non-bank financial institutions to participate in the national payment system. He further highlighted Kosovo’s alignment with SEPA, the implementation of the instant payments project (TIPS Clone), QR code standardization, and other developments consistent with the CBK’s strategic plan. He underlined the importance of financial education, capacity building, infrastructure expansion, and risk management arising from digitalization, monetary sovereignty, financial stability, and cybersecurity.

Governor Ismaili also spoke about the new regulatory framework on operational resilience, oversight of systems, and cybersecurity, as well as the contracting of third-party services, all part of advancing the regulatory environment for the financial sector, along with strengthening internal capacities and operationalizing new organizational units dedicated to the supervision of financial institutions.

Regarding crypto-assets, he explained that the CBK is pursuing a gradual and cautious approach, in line with international standards and in close cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the Governor noted that the CBK is closely following the developments of the European Central Bank regarding the Digital Euro, with the aim of participating in later stages while analyzing potential impacts on the financial market, consumer behavior, and the payment system structure.

In concluding his remarks, Governor Ismaili stressed that financial innovation must progress in parallel with stability, transparency, and financial education, so that digital transformation translates into broader inclusion and economic well-being for all. However, he underlined that financial stability, monetary sovereignty, the integrity of the financial system, consumer and data protection, and cybersecurity risks remain the core pillars upon which policies are built.

The conference proceedings were opened with welcome remarks from the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Gent Sejko, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, as well as special video messages from the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This high-level international conference brought together governors of central banks, representatives of international financial institutions, and distinguished experts in the field.