New consumer loans in lei in Romania reached nearly 5.5 billion lei in July 2026, the highest monthly volume since National Bank of Romania (BNR) public statistics exist, according to an analysis of BNR data by Ziarul Financiar.
Summer rebound in lending
The rise continued into August. New consumer loans in lei rose more than 19 percent year on year that month, reaching 4.6 billion lei. Between June and August 2026, Romanian banks granted 15 billion lei in new consumer loans. Over the first eight months of the year, the total reached 37 billion lei.
Monthly new consumer loan volumes in lei ranged between 3.5 billion lei and 5.5 billion lei across January to August 2026. Demand had been more subdued earlier in the year.
Prices and consumption turn
The pickup in borrowing tracked a shift in consumption and prices. Consumption started growing again in August after a year of declines. Inflation, which had been close to 10 percent in the first part of the year, began falling more visibly from summer onward.
Consumer loans still carry an annual effective interest rate above 10 percent.
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Source: National Bank of Romania (BNR)
