New INVL Fund of Up to EUR 200 Million to Invest in Central and Eastern European Banks

INVL has established a new fund, the INVL European Banking Opportunities Fund, which will invest in the equity capital of banks in Central and Eastern Europe. With a target size of up to EUR 200 million, the fund aims to capitalise on growth opportunities in the region’s banking sector by investing in both controlling and minority equity stakes in banks.

The fund’s investment geography will cover European Union member states and candidate countries. The fund will also be able to participate in bank capital increases. Its rules were approved by the Bank of Lithuania on 8 October 2026.

“Central and Eastern European economies and the banking sector are growing faster than those in Western Europe, yet the region remains underserved in terms of capital. We see opportunities to invest on attractive terms where we can contribute to banks’ growth as a long-term shareholder,” says Vytautas Plunksnis, Head of Private Equity at INVL.

Investment Opportunity for Informed Investors

The minimum investment in the fund is EUR 500,000, and its planned term is six years, with an option to extend it by an additional four years. The fund’s first closing is expected to take place by the end of 2026.

The fund’s investment units are distributed by the financial brokerage firm INVL Financial Advisors, which operates under the INVL Šeimos biuras brand in Lithuania and the INVL Family Office brand in Latvia and Estonia.

“Private equity transactions of this kind typically involve institutional investors. This fund offers private investors a rare opportunity to invest alongside them,” says Asta Jovaišienė, Head of INVL Family Office.

According to her, the fund is intended for investors with a higher risk tolerance who are able to commit a significant amount of capital for an extended period.

Experience in Financial Sector Investments

The Invalda INVL Group has been active in the financial sector for more than 30 years and has extensive experience in investing in banks.

Together with an INVL fund, the Group holds more than 14% of the shares in Moldova’s largest bank, maib. Together with its consortium partners, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Horizon Capital, it holds a combined stake of more than 38%. In Lithuania, Invalda INVL is the largest shareholder of Artea Bank, holding nearly 20% of its shares.

Since 2018, when the investor consortium became the largest shareholder of maib, the bank’s total assets have grown slightly more than threefold, while its loan portfolio has increased 3.6 times by the end of 2025. Artea Bank’s (formerly Šiaulių Bankas) total assets increased 3.7 times, and its loan portfolio grew 4.8 times between 2015, when Invalda INVL became a shareholder, and the end of 2025.

The new fund complements the Group’s existing investment activities in the financial sector, providing informed investors with an opportunity to participate in equity investments in Central and Eastern European banks.