The Governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo (BQK), Ahmet Ismaili, participated in the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent for the Instant Payment project – TIPS Clone, held within the framework of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank.
The ceremony marked the signing of the Letter of Intent for the regional project to develop a fast payment system, signed between the Bank of Italy, the Central Bank of Kosovo, and the central banks of Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
“The signing of this Letter of Intent continues the agreement signed in January of this year, now including the Central Bank of North Macedonia. The Bank of Italy, with the approval of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, as the developer and operator of the Eurosystem’s Instant Payment system (TIPS), is building the TIPS Clone system to offer this infrastructure to several Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo,” the announcement states.
The project represents a key strategic and infrastructural initiative of BQK, contributing to the achievement of the institution’s objectives and strategic plan.
“This strategic partnership with the Bank of Italy marks a historic moment for Kosovo, enabling it to benefit from professional and technical expertise and from the use of an advanced system currently operated by the Eurosystem. Additional benefits are expected to materialize with Kosovo’s membership in SEPA,” the statement adds.
The development of the system by a professional team from the Bank of Italy is considered a critical success factor, especially given the technological and geopolitical importance of the project.
BQK remains committed to advancing the financial sector through concrete projects that bring broad benefits for businesses, citizens, and the economy, while international cooperation provides essential support for their implementation.
