Instabank ASA: Board decides to continue as a Norwegian bank and to withdraw the banking licence application in Finland

19 Jun 2026 08:00 CEST

The Board of Directors of Instabank ASA (“Instabank” or “the Bank”) has resolved
to discontinue the process of relocating the Bank’s home state to Finland and to
withdraw the banking licence application submitted to the Finnish Financial
Supervisory Authority by the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary Instafin Oy
(“Instabank Finland”). Instabank will continue its operations as a Norwegian
bank headquartered in Oslo.

The decision follows the final SREP decision from the Norwegian Financial
Supervisory Authority (NFSA), announced on 16 June 2026, which reduced the
Bank’s combined Pillar 2 Requirement and Pillar 2 Guidance by 2.0 percentage
points. The decision released approximately NOK 128 million in total capital, of
which approximately NOK 86 million is Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital, based
on risk-weighted assets as of 31 March 2026.

The process of relocating the Bank’s home state was initiated to secure more
competitive regulatory framework conditions and a more capital-efficient
platform for continued growth. When the process was initiated, the Bank’s total
capital requirements in Finland were expected to be significantly lower than the
requirements applicable in Norway. Following the NFSA’s decision, the remaining
capital advantage of a relocation is considered limited and could no longer
justify the regulatory and operational complexity, material costs and
organisational consequences that a relocation would entail.

The Board also notes that the latest signals from Norwegian authorities,
including the Government’s Financial Markets Report for 2026, point towards more
harmonised capital requirements for banks operating in Norway, which may further
reduce any remaining regulatory differences over time.

The Board has concluded that the Bank’s long-term value creation and strategic
development are best served by continued operation as a Norwegian bank with its
head office in Oslo. The released capital strengthens the Bank’s financial
flexibility and supports Instabank’s growth strategy across its Nordic and
European markets, without the execution risk and resource burden that a
relocation would entail.

As communicated in the Bank’s interim report for the first quarter of 2026,
Instabank considered both a continued Norwegian structure and a relocation to be
positive outcomes for shareholders. With the reduced capital requirements now
confirmed, the Board considers continued operation as a Norwegian bank to be the
most value-creating path forward for shareholders, customers and employees.

Contacts:
Robert Berg, CEO – robert.berg@instabank.no
Per Kristian Haug, CFO – perkristian.haug@instabank.no

This information is subject to disclosure requirements under section 5-12 of the
Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

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