Posts Tagged ‘Lithuania’
EBRD backs Lithuania’s first green securitisation with ILTE
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting Lithuania’s green transition and capital market innovation with a €50 million landmark investment in the country’s first green asset backed securitisation, originated by ILTE, Lithuania’s national development bank, as part of a €112 million issuance.
This pioneering transaction is the first true sale green securitisation in the Baltic states, setting a new benchmark for sustainable finance. Backed by ILTE’s portfolio of performing energy-efficiency loans, the notes have achieved a AAA rating from two leading international agencies and have been listed on the Nasdaq Vilnius exchange.
By transforming energy-efficiency loans into investable securities, the transaction introduces innovative market-based instruments and shows the strength of Lithuania’s recently reformed securitisation framework. It also creates a replicable model for attracting long-term institutional capital, boosting investor confidence and accelerating the development of the region’s capital markets.
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Originally published on 19 Dec
Read MoreGameTech’s Third Edition Marks a Milestone in the Development of Lithuania’s Video Game Ecosystem
With the conclusion of its third edition, GameTech has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of Lithuania’s video game ecosystem, marking a significant milestone in the country’s strategy to position games as a high-impact creative and technological industry.
Since its launch, GameTech, an initiative led by the Lithuanian government together with Startup Lithuania and powered by GameBCN, has acted as a catalyst for emerging and growing game studios, combining acceleration, international expertise, and ecosystem building. Across its three editions, the program has demonstrated both scale and depth in its impact. Over the course of the program’s history, more than 250 teams applied, reflecting the strong demand for specialized support in the gaming sector. From these, 32 teams were selected to participate, representing a diverse range of studios at different stages of development, from early concepts to companies preparing for global scale-up.
GameTech has delivered over 1,000 hours of mentoring and training, provided by an international network of industry experts covering game production, business development, publishing, monetization, and investment readiness. This intensive support has been complemented by 24 public events, including masterclasses, open days, demo days, and play-testing sessions, designed not only to accelerate teams but also to strengthen the broader Lithuanian gaming community and its visibility.
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Originally published on 19 Dec
Read MoreThe Port of Klaipėda on a steady course: cargo volumes maintain double-digit growth
The Port of Klaipėda handled nearly 36 million tonnes of cargo over the first eleven months of the year, maintaining double-digit growth compared to the same period last year. Growth was driven by containerised cargo, ro-ro freight transported by ferries, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Klaipėda remaining the leading port among the Baltic States.
Over the first eleven months of this year, nearly 12 million tonnes of containerised cargo were handled at the Port of Klaipėda, representing a 29% increase compared to the same period last year. Containerised cargo accounts for 33% of the port’s total cargo throughput this year.
Since the beginning of the year, almost 1.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) have been handled at the Port of Klaipėda, which is a 23% increase year-on-year. The milestone of one million TEUs was reached earlier than ever before in the port’s history — in October. Traditionally, Klaipėda would join the “millionaire ports” in December.
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Originally published on 18 Dec
Read MoreCybersafety in numbers Nordic-Baltic cyber consortium
Seven countries in the Nordic-Baltic region have agreed to pool their resources to stave off cyberattacks. Funded by the EU, hosted by Denmark, and with the participation of Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway, the Nordic-Baltic Cyber Consortium will serve as a means for national cyber-security agencies in the seven countries to share information and to work together to develop new ways to counter cyberthreats.
The threat of cyberattack is not unique to the Baltic region, but the countries taking part in the consortium are among the most digitalised in the world, and thus particularly at risk. One strategy to protect themselves would be to take their foot off the pedal and move some services offline again, but that would mean losing many of the efficiency gains digitialisation has created, especially in the public sector. Doing so would also spoil plans to roll out artificial intelligence. By doubling down on digitalisation, they have decided that what makes them vulnerable is also what can make them stronger.
Read MoreNuvei Liquidity granted an authorisation of a crypto-asset service provider
Lietuvos bankas has granted an authorisation of a crypto-asset service provider to Nuvei Liquidity, UAB for the provision of custody and administration of crypto-assets, transfer services for crypto-assets, exchange of crypto-assets for funds and other crypto-assets.
The company has also obtained the payment institution licence, authorising it to perform operations with electronic money tokens (EMT).
Nuvei Liquidity, UAB, which has operated in Lithuania since 2004, is part of the Nuvei Group, one of Canada’s largest providers of financial technology services, operating in more than 20 jurisdictions.
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Originally published on 17 Dec
Read MoreDecentralized granted an authorisation of a crypto-asset service provider
Lietuvos bankas has granted an authorisation of a crypto-asset service provider to UAB Decentralized for the provision of custody and administration of crypto-assets, transfer services for crypto-assets, exchange of crypto-assets for funds and other crypto-assets.
The company has also obtained the payment institution licence, authorising it to perform operations with electronic money tokens (EMT).
UAB Decentralized operating under the CoinGate brand, is one of the oldest virtual currency exchange operators in Lithuania (founded in 2014) with more than 50 employees.
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Originally published on 17 Dec
Read MoreThe cuts stop here Lithuania’s public broadcaster makes a stand
Employees of LRT, the Lithuanian public broadcaster, began a three-day protest today as members of the Seimas opened discussion of a law that would make it easier to dismiss its director-general. Some 1,500 journalists and cultural figures gathered to raise alarm that the measure—which comes on the heels of a decision to reverse a planned 11% budget increase over the next three years—is an attack on LRT’s independence and an encroachment on free speech.
Earlier in the month, 10,000 people gathered for a similar protest, and many Lithuanians say hamstringing LRT puts Lithuania on a path already laid out in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. That is indeed bad company, but the reality is that public broadcasters throughout Europe have come under increased political scrutiny. Cases such as the BBC’s misleading editing of a Donald Trump speech adds fuel to the critics’ fire, but the big scandals are rare, and, indeed, their reporting is deemed as being critical, fair and necessary by both the public and experts alike. No wonder why the lawmakers are irritated.
Read MoreSwiss privacy technology company Proton to expand its R&D hub in Vilnius
Proton, a Swiss privacy-focused technology company, is expanding its software engineering operations in Lithuania as part of its broader global development strategy. The Vilnius office, established in 2019, currently employs around 20 specialists and acts as a regional R&D hub integrated into Proton’s global product teams.
Proton was founded in 2014 by a team of scientists who met at CERN. Guided by the belief that privacy is a fundamental human right, the company has grown into a global provider of secure, open-source services with more than 100 million accounts across 180+ countries. Its products include Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Drive, Proton Calendar, Proton Pass, Proton Authenticator, and Proton Wallet. The company’s users range from privacy-conscious individuals to journalists, activists, NGOs in high-risk environments and privacy-first businesses.
Proton selected Vilnius for expansion due to its high-quality engineering talent, strong university programmes in computer science and cybersecurity, and a mature technology ecosystem. According to Beatriz Dominguez, VP People at Proton, Lithuania also offers favourable conditions for privacy-first innovation, supported by government incentives and strong connectivity to European data infrastructure.
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Originally published on 16 Dec
Read MoreLeopard 2 A8 agreements signed by the MoD and international defence industry partners
The Ministry of National Defence and representatives of KNDS Deutschland, Rheinmetal Landsysteme and EPSO-G state-owned energy group international partners signed a Memorandum on industrial cooperation concerning constructions of Lithuania-based assembly and maintenance infrastructure for the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks. The project will be completed at a more efficient pace thanks to the major investment project statues granted by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation.
25.1% of stocks of Lithuania Defense Services (LDS) owned by KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetal Landsysteme are planned to be transferred to EPSO-G Invest. Parties prepare for agreement on cooperation terms in detail in 2026.
The Memorandum covers assembly of part of the tanks in Lithuania aiming for the shortest possible delivery terms and offer preconditions for capability development to the Lithuanian defence industry. In the wake of the agreement signature with the MoD, LDS will start building and assembly factory for the latest version of Leopard 2 A8. In its turn, Lithuania commits to contribute in developing the LSD manufacturing base and has signed an additional agreement on tank maintenance in combat-ready condition.
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Originally published on 11 Dec
Read MoreVilnius Book Fair expands: introduces its first corporate patron and cultural programme partner
The Vilnius Book Fair is turning a new page in its history. For the first time, the organisers of the event taking place in February 2026 are introducing an official corporate patron – Invalda INVL, an asset management group – and a cultural programme partner, Lithuania’s largest bookstore chain, Pegasas.
Since its launch in 2000, the Vilnius Book Fair has grown over a quarter of a century into Lithuania’s most anticipated cultural event. To further strengthen the fair’s international presence and support its continued growth, the 2026 edition will, for the first time, have an official corporate patron.
“Partnerships between the Vilnius Book Fair and the business community are a major step forward. They help enhance the fair’s international reach, foster literary initiatives, support creators, and make sure our messages reach the widest possible audience. The cultural environment created by the fair plays an essential role in shaping society’s identity, nurturing creativity, and engaging diverse social groups in public life. For private businesses, this is also an excellent opportunity to reinforce their reputation through social responsibility and active involvement in the cultural ecosystem,” says Dovilė Zaidė, President of the Lithuanian Publishers Association.
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Originally published on 12 Dec
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