Poland is considering a second bank tax hike. The story is not over
The corporate income tax rate for banks in Poland only rose from 19 to 30 percent at the start of this year, and the government is already signalling another move. On 14 July 2026, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz told reporters at a press briefing that "there is room to raise the CIT rate further." She committed to handing Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski a one-page proposal for a further tax increase on the banking sector within a few days. For millions of people who use bank accounts, deposits and loans every day, this is a signal that the debate over how much banks should pay did not end with this year's reform.
What actually changed at the start of 2026
A quick recap of the facts. Since 1 January 2026, the CIT rate for banks in Poland has stood at 30 percent, while the standard corporate tax rate for other companies remains 19 percent. That is the highest rate in the history of the Polish banking sector. Under the schedule already adopted, the rate is set to fall gradually, to 26 percent in 2027 and 23 percent from 2028. In parallel, the government planned to lower the separate asset-based bank levy, from 0.0366 percent of the taxable base today to 0.0329 percent from 2027 and 0.0293 percent from 2028. President Karol Nawrocki has already signed the law, so on paper the matter is settled - yet the minister is suggesting it is not the final word.
Why the government is targeting banks again
"Massive excess liquidity" as the argument
Minister Pelczynska-Nalecz bases her case on the idea that the banking sector is sitting on excess liquidity - banks hold more customer deposits than they can put to efficient use as loans, while years of high interest rates delivered record profits. She also admitted she would personally prefer a different tool than another CIT hike: a windfall tax, a levy applied only to extraordinary, above-average bank profits rather than to total income. Whichever variant ends up on the finance minister's desk, the direction is clear: the banking sector is expected to hand over more to the state budget than the freshly adopted rules already require. The government estimates the additional revenue could reach several billion zloty.
The stock market already reacted
Markets did not wait for the details. On 15 July, a day after the minister's remarks, shares of Warsaw-listed banks fell noticeably. mBank lost 2.21 percent, Erste 2.15 percent, ING Bank Slaski 2.16 percent, Bank Millennium 2.12 percent, Alior Bank 1.20 percent, PKO Bank Polski 1.27 percent, and Bank Pekao 0.63 percent. That reaction shows investors are taking the announcement seriously and are already pricing in the risk of another fiscal burden - even before any concrete bill exists.
What this could mean for your wallet
There is a question that matters more to an ordinary bank customer than stock price swings: who ultimately pays for a higher tax? Experience from previous increases in bank taxation, in Poland and elsewhere in the EU, shows that financial institutions rarely absorb such a cost entirely on their own. Part of the difference is usually passed on to customers through three main channels: deposit interest rates, lending margins, and everyday account fees.
Deposits and savings accounts under pressure
The easiest place for banks to claw back part of a tax bill is deposit pricing. A higher tax on profits makes it less attractive to keep offering generously priced term deposits and savings accounts, especially with the Monetary Policy Council holding interest rates unchanged for months. If another CIT hike materialises, savers could be the first to feel it through lower promotional rates. That makes it worth regularly checking current term deposit offers and comparing savings accounts - the gap between banks in this segment can be wide, and what looked like a good deal six months ago may no longer be the best option today.
Loans and mortgages - pressure on margins
The second channel runs through lending. To protect profitability against a higher tax bill, banks may quietly raise margins on newly issued cash loans and mortgages, even if reference rates such as WIBOR or WIRON stay flat. That matters especially for anyone planning to take out a mortgage in the coming months - it is worth comparing several banks before a potential tax hike feeds through into the cost of financing. Checking current mortgage offers and cash loan terms before signing anything helps avoid paying more than the competition simply because the alternatives were never checked.
Personal accounts and everyday fees
A third, often underestimated channel is fees for maintaining accounts, cards, and international transfers. History shows that when banks look for extra revenue, they also reach for small but widely charged fees - monthly account maintenance costs, charges for missing incoming payments, or inactivity fees. That is one more reason to check regularly whether your account is still worth keeping, rather than paying out of habit for a product chosen years ago.
What you should do now
For now this is an announcement, not a finished bill - concrete details will only emerge once Minister Pelczynska-Nalecz presents her proposal to the finance minister, likely within days. Still, there is no reason to wait passively for the final shape of the rules. The best strategy is to regularly monitor the terms of your own banking products and compare them against the market, regardless of whether another CIT hike actually happens. Banks update their offers every quarter anyway, and people who never check the market usually end up paying the most. Start by reviewing your own deposits, savings accounts and loan terms - it is the simplest way to avoid being caught off guard, whatever the outcome of the dispute over the bank tax.