Amsterdam, Netherlands. 27 August 2025 – The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) welcomes Bank Arvand (Tajikistan) and Compartamos Banco (Mexico) as its newest members, expanding GABV’s reach in Central Asia and Latin America and strengthening its mission to use finance as a force for good.
Bank Arvand: championing inclusion in Central Asia
Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Khujand, Tajikistan, Bank Arvand began as a microfinance initiative and evolved into a licensed bank in 2019. Today, it serves more than 86,000 clients through a wide range of services including loans, deposits, remittances, and digital banking.
Arvand’s mission is to provide high-quality financial services to entrepreneurs and individuals with the purpose of stimulating Tajikistan’s economic and social growth. With strong roots in microfinance, the bank has a particular focus on low-income households, rural clients, women, and young entrepreneurs. It also integrates ESG principles into its strategy and has developed non-financial services such as financial literacy training, legal advice, and agricultural consulting.
As a market leader in financial inclusion in Tajikistan, Bank Arvand employs more than 900 people, 43% of whom are women, with women also holding 60% of top management positions.
Ms. Sh. M. Sodiqova, Chairperson of Bank Arvand reflects:
“We are proud to become part of GABV. This step reaffirms our commitment to values-based banking and strengthens our mission to contribute to the socio-economic development of Tajikistan,”
Compartamos Banco: scaling financial inclusion in Latin America
Established in 1990, Compartamos Banco is the largest microfinance institution in Latin America, headquartered in Mexico City. The bank serves 3.2 million clients nationwide, 75% of whom are women, through more than 146 branches and over 42,000 service points.
Compartamos pioneered the use of group lending methodologies in Mexico and continues to provide financial services to underserved populations, with products including microloans, savings accounts, insurance, and digital solutions. Its mission is to “boost clients’ dreams by addressing their financial needs with a human sense,” and its strategy prioritises generating social, human, and economic value for low-income communities.
In addition to credit, the bank invests heavily in financial education and women’s empowerment programmes. It is also a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, aligning its strategy with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Joining forces with GABV
The addition of Bank Arvand and Compartamos Banco strengthens GABV’s global mission to demonstrate how banking can generate positive social and economic impact. GABV’s Executive Director, Martin Rohner, welcomes the new members and highlights the alignment between the banks’ missions and GABV’s values:
“I’m delighted to welcome Compartamos Banco and Arvand Bank into the Global Alliance for Banking on Values. Compartamos has shown how powerful it is to put women entrepreneurs at the heart of financial inclusion in Mexico, and Arvand brings such inspiring dedication to serving families and small businesses in Tajikistan who are often excluded from traditional banking. At the GABV, we are grateful they have chosen to join this community, and excited for the energy and perspective they bring to our shared mission of using finance to make lives better.”
About the GABV
The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is a network of independent banks and banking cooperatives with a shared mission to use finance to deliver sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. Founded in 2009, the GABV comprises 72 financial institutions operating in over 45 countries across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe. It serves more than 50 million customers collectively, holds over USD 265 billion of combined assets under management and employs 100,000 co-workers.
Meet the banks of the network and the countries where they operate: www.gabv.org/members
