Briefly
The NBU in December 2025 fined five banks for violations of financial monitoring rules and currency legislation, the NBU reports. The largest sanctions were imposed on the International Investment Bank (IIB) — owner Petro Poroshenko — and Tascombank — owner Serhiy Tihipko. This decision matters not only for the institutions themselves but also for confidence in the system as a whole.
Details of the fines
Measures were applied to the IIB for inadequate organization of primary financial monitoring and for inadequate oversight during clients' currency transactions — fines of UAH 13.52 million and UAH 1 million, respectively.
Tascombank was fined UAH 10 million for improper fulfillment of the obligation to apply a risk-based approach and for insufficient customer due diligence.
Three other institutions received smaller sanctions: Oschadbank — UAH 5.5 million, Motor-Bank — UAH 3 million, and the bank "Clearing House" (associated with Yuliya Lyovochkina) — UAH 200,000.
"The bank was subjected to measures in the form of fines in the amounts of UAH 13.52 million and UAH 1 million, respectively."
— National Bank of Ukraine
Context and why it matters
This is not an isolated reaction: in March 2025 the NBU already fined the IIB UAH 20.5 million. Repeated or systemic violations increase regulatory scrutiny and raise questions about the effectiveness of the bank's internal controls.
The practical importance is straightforward: tightened financial-monitoring oversight affects banks' access to international markets and credit lines, as well as foreign partners' willingness to work with Ukrainian institutions. Experts and analysts note that compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) standards is a key criterion for international cooperation — from trade operations to financial assistance programs.
For clients there is usually no direct risk of losing deposits as a result of such decisions, but a bank's reliability rating and its operational capacity in the long term may suffer.
What this means for the market
The regulator is showing that its instruments of influence are being used — from fines to increased scrutiny. For banks this is a signal: they need to invest in compliance, update procedures and risk-monitoring technologies. As the financial community says, "money likes quiet", but these figures are worth knowing — they shape partners' trust and the cost of capital.
Conclusion
NBU fines are less a tool of punishment than a stimulus for systemic change. Whether these decisions will translate into real updates to banks' procedures and higher standards depends on how quickly institutions implement the regulator's recommendations and how consistently the NBU supervises compliance.
Question to ponder: will the market have enough strength and resources to turn regulatory pressure into long-term strengthening of trust?
