A two-level banking system exists today in Belarus: the National Bank - Commercial Banks. A possibility exists to establish banks with 100% of foreign capital, as well as joint banks, it is also allowed to open branches and affiliates of foreign banks. Foreign legal entities may have their accounts in the authorized bank of Belarus both in Rubles and in other currencies.

A total of 27 Commercial Banks are operating in the Republic, including one branch of a foreign bank and eight joint banks. The biggest Commercial Banks are Belvnesheconombank, "Belarusbank" Savings Bank, Belagroprombank, Belpromstrojbank, Рriorbаnk, Belbiznesbank.

The commercial bank branches located in the Gomelskaya Oblast comprise 83 banking institutions (4 departments and 79 branches).

The "Belarusbank" Savings Bank OJSC has 28 banking institutions in the region, "Belagroprombank" Join-Stock Commercial Bank (JSCB) - 23, "Belpromstrojbank" JSCB - 10, "Belbiznesbank" JSCB - 8, "Belvnesheconombank" JSCB and "Priorbank" JSC - 4 each, and the rest - "Belarusian Bank of Development" JSC, "SlavNefteBank" JSCB, "BelComBank" JSC, "Profbank" JSCB, "Belkoopbank" JSCB and "Poisk" JSCB - have one banking institution each.

The principal directions of banks' activities are: loans to the people's economy (into the current activities, investments, financial leasing), credits to individuals (for consumer's purposes, real estate financing), credits to the Government (securities).

Among the Belarusian insurance organization the leading role is played by the "Belgosstrakh", the share thereof in the total value of insurance deposits being about 40%.