Adriana Sas
Research expert covering the Polish market
Banking in Poland - statistics & facts
The first banks in Poland, established in the 16th century, laid the foundation for a sector that would undergo a profound transformation in the 20th and 21st centuries. The robust development of these early banks in the 19th century was a prelude to the highly dynamic period of information technology in the world and in Poland. The 20th and 21st centuries not only witnessed a surge in internet users in Poland but also saw the banking sector evolve significantly, offering customers new solutions that revolutionized the Polish banking landscape.
In 2023, over 42.6 million payment cards were issued in Poland. The popularity of payment cards, cashless payments at POS terminals, and mobile payments increased recently. Additionally, nearly all cashless transactions were contactless in the second quarter of 2023. Poles use payment cards, phones, and wearable devices for contactless transactions. Polish banks issued over 12.5 million smartphone payment cards by the end of 2023, and the customers made over 369 million smartphone transactions. Despite the rise of online banking, BLIK remains the leading payment method in Poland, and its popularity seems to be intact for now.
Bank PKO BP is the leader of the Polish banking sector
The number of commercial banks in Poland has decreased over the past decade. In 2022, 30 banks were operating in the country, collectively employing over 143,000 employees. The largest bank in the country is PKO BP. Despite the decrease in the number of banks, the sector remained robust, with PKO BP leading in terms of total assets, reaching over 501 billion zloty in 2023. During this period, the bank also attracted significant customer interest, with nearly 11.2 million commercial and retail clients, almost twice as many as Bank Pekao and Santander BP. However, in 2024, Santander BP received the best customer service, products, and marketing communications score. Overall, the banking sector reached a net profit of nearly 27.9 billion zloty in 2023.Poles increasingly mobile
In 2023, PKO BP had over 4.3 million customers actively using online banking, which indicates the industry's evolution towards online and mobile banking in Poland. More and more Poles are becoming active users of mobile banking applications, with their number increasing by 12 percent in a year, reaching almost 22 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Users made nearly six bank transfers on average during the same period.In 2023, over 42.6 million payment cards were issued in Poland. The popularity of payment cards, cashless payments at POS terminals, and mobile payments increased recently. Additionally, nearly all cashless transactions were contactless in the second quarter of 2023. Poles use payment cards, phones, and wearable devices for contactless transactions. Polish banks issued over 12.5 million smartphone payment cards by the end of 2023, and the customers made over 369 million smartphone transactions. Despite the rise of online banking, BLIK remains the leading payment method in Poland, and its popularity seems to be intact for now.
