Banks are changing hands. Is the landscape of capital in Poland changing?
The Polish banking sector is undergoing intense reshuffling on a scale not seen for years. Large banks are changing owners, foreign players are shifting their strategies and new investors are entering the market. The question is whether these are just temporary shifts in capital or the beginning of lasting change in the industry’s balance of power.
Source: Parkiet.pl
CJEU upholds banks’ right to set off loan principal
Banks may set off the loan principal against instalments. This was confirmed unequivocally by the CJEU in its judgment of 22 January (TSUE C-902/24 (Herchoski)). Banks may raise the plea of set-off even if the validity of the agreement is disputed. This ruling is consistent with the current practice of banks and enables a comprehensive settlement between the parties in a single set of proceedings. Set-off removes the parties’ uncertainty regarding the settlement. Set-off is beneficial not only to the parties involved, but also to the administration of justice, as it renders a separate action for the return of the principal unnecessary. The Court pointed out that if the bank were deprived of the possibility of raising a plea of set-off in respect of the consumer, its right to effective judicial protection would be disproportionately impaired.
Source: Związek Banków Polskich
Change of benchmark, change of rules. What does the end of WIBOR really mean?
This reform is not intended to make anyone pay more or less. It is supposed to be economically neutral, emphasises Tadeusz Białek, President of the Polish Bank Association and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the National Working Group. In an interview with money.pl, Białek discusses the reasons, effects and risks of replacing the WIBOR benchmark with the new POLSTR benchmark in contracts worth trillions of zlotys.
Source: Money.pl
The Sejm has passed important changes for cooperative banks
The amendments to the Act on the functioning of cooperative banks, passed by the Sejm, aim to increase deposit security, streamline and modernise the regulations governing the cooperative banking sector, and improve its functioning. The amendment is the result of the first thorough review of the regulations since the act was passed in 2000.
Source: Prawo.pl
320 identity documents are lost every day. Banks are sounding the alarm about loan fraud
Although Poles are reporting the loss of identity documents less and less frequently, financial criminals are not idle. The latest data from the Polish Bank Association reveals a worrying trend: while the number of new reports of lost documents is falling, the scale of thwarted loan fraud attempts remains at one of the highest levels ever recorded. In 2025 alone, banks prevented the theft of over PLN 350 million.
Source: Bankier.pl
Loan costs down sharply. The NBP has released the latest interest rate data
According to the National Bank of Poland, in December, banks granted PLN 7.549 billion in residential property loans, compared to PLN 7.398 billion in November. The average interest rate on new mortgage loans was 6.25% in December, compared to 6.41% the previous month.
Source: Bankier.pl
Latvian banks are preparing for war and could set an example for Poland
In Latvia, preparations for a possible escalation of the conflict with Russia extend beyond the military and security services. The financial sector is playing an increasingly important role, as it is responsible for ensuring the continuity of cash and cashless payments in the event of a crisis.
Mārtiņš Kazāks, the Governor of the Central Bank of Latvia, emphasises that Europe is already operating in a hybrid war environment involving cyberattacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and threats to energy networks. This is why Latvian banks have been strengthening their resilience systematically for several years. One of the pillars of this strategy is ensuring access to cash. The central bank has required commercial banks to maintain a network of ‘critical ATMs’ in key locations, particularly in larger cities and at major transport hubs.
Source: Bank.pl
Banks’ earnings to fall by up to 33% in 2026, according to ZBP forecasts
Experts from the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) warn that this year will see significantly lower profits for the sector due to higher CIT and falling interest rates. Banks’ net profit may be ‘only’ PLN 30.8 billion.
Source: Parkiet.pl
European banks and capital markets ready to divorce the US
Stronger European banks, a domestic debt market and greater currency independence are not only a shield against political pressure from Washington, but also the foundation of Europe’s new financial architecture, writes Witold Gadomski. The European financial sector is closely linked to the US through shared capital markets, bank investments, trading in US Treasury bonds and the dollar’s dominant role in global settlements. This dependence means that shocks on Wall Street or changes in US monetary policy quickly spread to European banks and funds.
Source: Bank.pl
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See also
Banking today and tomorrow | An overview of the banking sector | January 2026
