Does Alpha Bank Romania still exist in 2026?

Not as an independent brand. The merger with UniCredit Bank Romania was legally completed on 31 October 2024, and from 1 November 2024 all operations, contracts and clients were transferred to UniCredit Bank S.A.

What happened to my Alpha Bank loan?

The contract remains valid under its original terms, but is taken over by UniCredit Bank. Interest, maturity, fees remain unchanged. Payment is now made to the UniCredit account communicated officially by letter in October 2024.

How do I find the new UniCredit IBAN for a former Alpha Bank account?

UniCredit sent official letters to each client in September-December 2024 with the new IBAN. If the letter is lost, the IBAN is available in the UniCredit Mobile app, in internet banking, or at any UniCredit branch with ID.

Are former Alpha Bank clients disadvantaged at UniCredit?

Legally, no. Transferred contracts benefit from the same rights under GEO 50/2010. In practice, the transition generated 547 ANPC complaints in 2025, up from 298 at Alpha Bank in 2024.

Alpha Bank Romania reviews 2026: what is left after

If you landed on this page searching for "Alpha Bank reviews" or "Alpha Bank loan", there is one thing you should know before anything else: Alpha Bank Romania in 2026 no longer exists as an independent brand. Activity was officially taken over by UniCredit Bank S.A. on 31 October 2024, and from 1 November 2024 all operations, contracts, accounts and cards were transferred under the UniCredit umbrella.

Who it is and who owns it

Alpha Bank entered the Romanian market in 1995 as a subsidiary of the Greek Alpha Services and Holdings group. The bank grew moderately on the retail and SME segments, reaching under 5% market share, but was significantly affected by the Greek crisis of 2010 to 2015, when the parent group was recapitalized several times with European public funds.

The strategic exit decision from Romania was announced in October 2022, when Alpha Services communicated the signing of a framework agreement with UniCredit for the transfer of local activities. Approvals from BNR, the European Central Bank and the Competition Council took nearly 24 months. Effective merger by absorption into UniCredit Bank Romania was registered with the Trade Register on 31 October 2024.

Alpha Bank assets before the merger amounted to roughly 22 billion lei, and the transferred portfolio covered over 290,000 individual clients and approximately 14,700 SME clients.

What the merger means for former Alpha clients

For loan contracts signed with Alpha Bank, rights and obligations were transferred to UniCredit Bank S.A. without modification. Fixed interest stays fixed. Variable interest follows the same indexation formula. Maturity does not change. Contractual fees cannot be raised unilaterally without 60-day written notice, and the client has the right to terminate without penalty if the new fee is considered disadvantageous, per GEO 50/2010.

For current accounts and cards, UniCredit communicated to clients, via registered letter and internet banking, the new IBAN and new access data. Alpha Bank cards worked in parallel with UniCredit cards until 31 March 2025, after which they were deactivated. Recurring payments (utilities, salaries, subscriptions) required manual update at providers in over 187,000 cases, per data communicated by UniCredit in the press release of 14 April 2025.

UniCredit products equivalent for the former Alpha client

For a client looking for a new banking relationship in 2026, UniCredit Bank S.A. offers the integrated and extended range taken over: personal loans with APR between 9.76% and 14.52% for standard profiles, mortgage with 5-year fixed rate between 6.02% and 6.58%, refinancing with APR cut of 0.42 percentage points for contracts older than 24 months.

The UniCredit Mobile app is described in post-merger reviews as more stable than the old Alpha Bank app, though with a learning curve for users used to the previous flow.

Alternatives to UniCredit for the former Alpha client

If you do not find yourself comfortable with the new structure and want to change banks in 2026, concrete alternatives are: Banca Transilvania for competitive APR on personal loans and well-rated BT Pay app. BCR Erste Group for clients who want the widest physical network in urban areas. Raiffeisen Bank as a mortgage alternative, with the well-structured Casa Mea product. ING Bank for clients who prefer a 100% digital relationship without a physical branch.

For an existing Alpha loan straining the household budget, see our refinancing guide. Early repayment fee is capped at 1% or 0.5% per GEO 50/2010, and UniCredit is required to issue an official statement with the exact amount within 7 working days of request.

Editorial verdict

Alpha Bank Romania is, in 2026, a closed chapter. For clients with an active loan taken over, the practical recommendation is to keep written correspondence from the transition period, check the bank statement month by month, and request an official simulation before any refinancing decision. For clients who were looking for a new Alpha offer and landed here, the logical alternative is UniCredit Bank for continuity, or BT and BCR for an offer rigorously compared on total APR. A brand change is not, in itself, sufficient reason to refinance, and the cost of switching to another bank must be honestly calculated before any move.

• What APR means and how it is calculated
• How to choose the right bank
• When refinancing is worth it

Alpha Bank Romania reviews 2026: what is left after the UniCredit merger