Supported by the National Bank of Georgia [NBG], the Swift Payment Forum - Caucasus and Türkiye was held in Tbilisi. The primary focus of the forum was the development of payment systems across the region, the enhancement of cross-border payments, and the strengthening of financial interoperability.

The event, entitled "Shaping the Future of Payments in the Caucasus and Türkiye", brought together policymakers and representatives from central banks, the financial sector, and the international payment industry.

During the forum, participants discussed the current challenges facing the global financial system, the modernization of payment infrastructure, and opportunities to deepen regional cooperation.

In her address at the forum, Natia Turnava, Governor of the NBG, emphasized the importance of regional cooperation amid global economic fragmentation, highlighting that strengthening financial connectivity serves as an essential prerequisite for economic resilience.

According to her, central banks play a critical role in modernizing financial services infrastructure and fostering interoperability with both regional and international partners: "For Georgia, situated along the Middle Corridor, strengthening regional cooperation is of paramount importance. As trade expands along this route, businesses require financial services that enable efficient and reliable cross-border payments".

The NBG Governor also highlighted the ongoing projects aimed at developing Georgia’s payment infrastructure. She noted that in 2026, the NBG completed a comprehensive modernization of its Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and clearing systems.

The upgraded infrastructure is fully compliant with the ISO 20022 international messaging standard, facilitating faster, more secure, and reliable transactions, enhanced data quality, and greater international interoperability.

"This upgrade paves the way for innovative digital services and the deployment of the Instant Payment System (IPS), scheduled for launch by the end of 2026. Our objective is to establish a secure, efficient, and innovative payment infrastructure that supports not only domestic economic growth, but also deeper regional financial cooperation", - remarked Natia Turnava.

The forum was also attended by Ekaterine Galdava, Vice Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, who outlined the short-, medium-, and long-term priorities for the development of Georgia`s payment systems.

Alexandre Ergeshidze, Head of the Specialized Risks Department at the NBG, participated in the panel discussion titled "Securing the Future of Payments: Building Resilient and Interoperable Systems". Varlam Ebanoidze, Head of the Financial and Supervisory Technologies Department at the NBG, participated in the panel discussion titled "Building the rails of the future: real-time, 24/7, digital payment". The session explored how emerging technologies are reshaping payments, focusing on digital assets, use cases for blockchain-based shared ledgers, and interoperability between today`s and tomorrow`s payment systems.