Meeting of the director of FITD Petrov and the Governor of NBRM Angelovska-Bezhoska: The first national strategy for FinTech by the end of the year, an inclusive process is needed
The preparation of the National Strategy for Development of the FinTech sector in our country is expected to be completed by the end of the year. To successfully develop and implement the strategy, as one of the strategic goals of the National Bank, it is necessary to actively involve several institutions. In that regard, a meeting was held in the National Bank between the Director of the Fund for Innovations and Technology Development (FITD), Kosta Petrov and the Governor of the National Bank, Anita Angelovska-Bezhoska, as well as the teams from both institutions.
At the meeting, the director of FITD, Petrov, presented the proposed measures for accelerated growth of the Macedonian startup ecosystem, and also expressed readiness to include the Fund in the development of the National Strategy for Development of the fintech sector. At the same time, the possibilities for cooperation between the institutions in the coming period were discussed, in the field of innovations in the financial sector, as a topic of mutual interest.
The activities of the working group for the fintech sector within the National Bank were presented at the meeting, such as the establishment of the so-called Innovation Gateway – a platform for communication of the National Bank with the innovative business community (fintech sector) and other relevant institutions. As it was pointed out, so far through this platform, several questions have been submitted for consultation and interest has been expressed by several domestic and foreign entities for investing in the fintech sector in the country. Also, with the support of the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSEE), a survey and a feasibility study for the development of the fintech sector in the country were conducted, and the first mapping of the fintech ecosystem in the country was performed.
Recently, EFSEE pointed out the National Bank as a leader in the region in activities to support the development of the fintech sector, and the Republic of North Macedonia as the only country in the region whose central bank has mapped the fintech ecosystem.
Part of the experts of the working group for the fintech sector in the National Bank are also included in the working groups for financial innovations established by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), with which our central bank monitors and participates in shaping the latest international observations and regulations for the fintech sector.
