Zimbabwe RBZ: New Directives Cap Bank Charges for Banks

THE People's Own Savings Bank (POSB) recorded a profit of ZWG108,48 million in the first half of the year amid plans to diversify revenue streams going into the second half of the year. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Monetary Policy Statement for the first half of 2026 directed all banking institutions to reduce bank charges in a bid to shore up the savings culture. The directives capped withdrawal fees at a maximum of 2% of the total amount withdrawn for both US Dollars (USD) and Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG). Among other measures, Point of Sale (POS) Swipes were capped at 1.5% of the transaction value with minimum fees completely removed, while account balance checks are now completely free across all banking and mobile platforms. "Despite the changes in the regulatory environment, the Bank recorded a net profit of ZWG108.48 million, compared to ZWG187.42 million recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. The decline in profitability was largely attributable to the impact of monetary policy measures introduced during the first half of 2026, which adversely affected non-funded income," POSB said in its Half Year's report for the period ended June 30, 2026. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Notwithstanding this, the Bank maintained strong liquidity, capital adequacy and asset quality, underscoring the resilience of its business model and balance sheet. Net operating income declined by 9% to ZWG659.47 million, from ZWG723.96 million in the comparable period, reflecting the impact of monetary policy regulations on the Bank's non-funded income. Operating expenses increased modestly by 3% to ZWG550.99 million, from ZWG536.53 million, largely driven by business expansion initiatives, with the marginal increase demonstrating continued cost discipline. Asset quality remained strong, with the non-performing loans (NPL) ratio maintained at 2.09%, well below the regulatory threshold of 5%. Liquidity remained robust, with a liquidity ratio of 72%, comfortably above the regulatory minimum of 30%, while capital adequacy stood at a healthy 36.56%, significantly exceeding the regulatory minimum of 12%, reflecting the Bank's strong capital position and financial resilience. "The Board remains confident that the Bank is well positioned to deliver a resilient performance in the second half of 2026. The Bank will focus on growing its core business, diversifying revenue streams and maintaining disciplined cost management to preserve profitability," added POSB. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Read the original article on New Zimbabwe . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions