INVL fund to invest in Central and Eastern European banks

TALLINN - INVL, the leading alternative asset manager in the Baltic States, has established the INVL European Banking Opportunities Fund, a fund of up to 200 million euros that will invest in banks in Central and Eastern Europe. The fund's investment geography includes European Union member states and candidate countries.

The rules for the closed-end fund were approved by the Bank of Lithuania on October 8. The fund can invest in both controlling and minority stakes in banks and participate in capital increases.

The fund is currently finalizing the necessary procedures to be able to offer investment opportunities in Estonia in the coming weeks.

"The economy and banking sector of Central and Eastern Europe are growing faster than in Western Europe, but they lack capital. We see opportunities to invest on attractive terms, where, as a long-term shareholder, we can contribute to the growth of the banks," said Vytautas Plunksnis, Head of Private Equity at INVL.

The minimum investment in the fund is 0.5 million euros, and its planned maximum size is up to 200 million euros. The fund's planned term is 6 years, with an option to extend it by another 4 years. The fund's units are marketed by the brokerage firm INVL Financial Advisors, which operates under the brand INVL Šeimos biuras in Lithuania and INVL Family Office in Latvia and Estonia.

"Such transactions in the private equity field are typically made by institutional investors. This fund is a rare opportunity for private investors to invest alongside them," says Asta Jovaišienė, Head of INVL Family Office.

According to her, investing in the fund is intended for investors who can tolerate higher risk. Due to the higher-than-usual minimum investment threshold, the fund is aimed at those who are able and willing to participate directly in large private equity transactions.

The first capital raising stage of the fund is planned to be completed by the end of 2026.

The Invalda INVL group has been operating in the financial sector for over thirty years.

Invalda INVL, together with an INVL fund, holds over 14 percent of the shares in maib, Moldova's largest bank. Together with consortium partners, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Horizon Capital, their joint stake is over 38 percent. Invalda INVL is also the largest shareholder in Artea Bank, which operates in Lithuania, holding a stake of nearly 20 percent.

These investments are characterized by long-term value creation. From 2018, when the investor consortium became the largest shareholder of maib, until the end of 2025, the bank's assets more than tripled, and its loan portfolio grew 3.6 times. Similarly, since Invalda INVL became a shareholder in 2015, the assets of Artea Bank (formerly Šiaulių bankas) have increased 3.7 times and its loan portfolio 4.8 times.

The group also includes a company that provides family office services in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and a pension fund management company based in Latvia. Previously, the group also managed other financial companies - the investment bank Finasta with its group of the same name and an insurance brokerage firm, all of which were profitably sold.

INVL is the leading alternative asset manager in the Baltic States. Our goal is to offer investors the best risk-return ratio and to have a positive economic impact in the regions where we operate. The Invalda INVL group manages or has under supervision assets worth over 2.3 billion euros across several asset classes, including private equity, forest and agricultural land, renewable energy, real estate, and private debt. The group's scope of activities also includes family office services in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, pension fund management in Latvia, and investments in global third-party funds. For more information, please visit www.invl.com/en/.

INVL Family Office is one of the largest multi-family offices in the Baltic States, managing over 1 billion euros in investment assets on behalf of families in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. INVL Family Office develops and updates investment strategies for individuals and legal entities, analyzes third-party investment products and services, represents clients in their relationships with such providers, offers asset transfer planning, and other investment services.

INVL Family Office is part of the Invalda INVL group, which has been in operation for over 30 years.

This is a marketing communication, which is not and cannot be construed as an offer to purchase units of an investment fund, investment advice, or investment analysis, as it is not intended to take into account the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual investors. When making investments, investors assume the risk associated with the investment. The value of investments may both increase and decrease, and an investor may receive back less than they invested. Past investment results do not guarantee the same results or profitability in the future.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Before making an investment decision, potential investors should, on their own or with an investment advisor, assess the suitability of the investment for themselves, taking into account the taxes and fees associated with the investment, consider all related risks, and carefully read the terms and conditions, prospectus, and other documents of the respective investment fund. The units of the investment fund mentioned in this press release may only be distributed to informed investors as defined in the Law on Investment Funds for Informed Investors of the Republic of Lithuania, as amended and supplemented, and may not be distributed or transferred to other clients.