Banks in Kiribati

ANZ Bank (Kiribati) Limited has provided banking services in Kiribati as part of the ANZ Group since 28 September 2001. It offers retail and business banking, deposits, payments, cards, loans and international transfers. The Development Bank of Kiribati (DBK) is state-owned and focuses on local development, rural, home, business and social loans. It has its headquarters in Bairiki, a branch on Kiritimati and agents on outer islands. Available evidence does not show a complete ordinary deposit-account and payment network equivalent to ANZ. The Kiribati Provident Fund (KPF) is a state provident fund that also provides loans, but it is not a normal current-account or deposit bank. Credit unions, cooperatives, Village Banks and money lenders provide additional mainly credit-related alternatives under separate formal or informal arrangements. Their current number and activity are not reliably established, and they should not be treated as equivalent to deposit banking. ANZ account opening takes place through a branch and requires identity checks under Kiribati law. A photo identification document and signature are required. ANZ may refuse an application. Customers can hold individual or joint accounts and can authorize other people to operate an account. Salary, allowance and pension payments can be credited directly. Deposits may be made at a branch, an agency, selected EFTPOS merchants or electronically. A joint account can create shared liability, so the account mandate should state who may withdraw funds and whether one or several signatures are required. ANZ's Access Everyday Account supports ordinary transactions, automatic transfers and statements. The Pacific Savings Account pays interest based on an end-of-day balance of at least AUD 100. Term deposits generally require at least AUD 2,000, with available terms depending on the product offer and ranging approximately from 90 to 729 days. ANZ has announced the transition or discontinuation of passbook and statement savings products from 1 July 2026. Product conditions and interest rates can change, so the current terms should be checked before opening or moving money. The ANZ Access Card works at ANZ ATMs and EFTPOS terminals in Kiribati. The ANZ Visa Debit card can be used through the Visa and PLUS networks for ATM withdrawals, EFTPOS payments, online purchases and overseas transactions, including contactless payments where supported. A Business Cheque Account supports deposits, withdrawals, cheques and bank cheques. ANZ Transactive provides business payment, cash-management and trade services. There is no current evidence of a locally issued credit-card system comparable to these debit and business products. ANZ Internet Banking and the ANZ Pacific App provide balances, transaction histories, transfers between accounts, bill and third-party payments, international transfers, foreign-exchange rates and Bank Mail. Registration starts with Internet Banking and then uses a four-digit app PIN and security questions. DBK also publishes an Internet-banking account for loan repayments. Kiribati has no confirmed domestic instant-payment system or national mobile-money payment app in the available evidence. Domestic settlement relies on correspondent arrangements and ANZ. For an incoming international payment, ANZ uses SWIFT code BKIRKIKI. The sender generally needs the account number, account name, residential address and the bank's name and address. Fees may apply, and ANZ publishes daily foreign-exchange rates against the AUD. Published fee examples effective from 1 December 2025 include AUD 0.25 per Access Everyday ATM transaction, AUD 2 for a staff-assisted transaction and AUD 3 per month for a Business Cheque Account. Non-ANZ ATM and foreign-exchange fees may also apply. Some DBK applications carry an AUD 20 fee. Confirm the current tariff before using a service. ANZ public service hours are listed as Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 15:00 and Friday from 09:00 to 16:00 at the Banraeaba service point, and Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00 on Kiritimati. A separate current notice mentions a Bairiki branch and Vodafone Bairiki, so the correct service point should be confirmed before travelling. DBK generally operates Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00. ATM and EFTPOS availability can differ locally, while outer-island access is mainly supported through DBK agents. The Kiribati Financial Supervisory Authority (KFSA) is the independent regulator for the commercial bank, DBK, KPF, credit unions, insurers and other financial-service providers. Its legal framework includes the Financial Supervisory Authority Kiribati Act 2021 and the Kiribati Financial Institutions Act 2021. IMF reporting indicates that the framework was being operationalized during 2026 and 2027, with full KFSA operation targeted for mid-2027. Available evidence from 2024 found no deposit-insurance scheme and no formal lender of last resort in Kiribati. Customers should therefore retain statements, review account terms and report errors or suspected fraud through the bank's complaint process. ANZ states that customers should never disclose a PIN, password or security code by telephone, text message or email.