Poland Raises Bank Tax to 30% in 2026, Scraps Reserve-Interest Levy

Poland’s Finance Ministry said it will raise the corporate income tax levied on banks to 30% in 2026, up from the current 19%, as part of efforts to boost defence spending. The ministry added that the rate would be trimmed to 26% in 2027 and to 23% in later years. The ministry also confirmed it has dropped an earlier proposal to tax interest earned on banks’ mandatory reserves held at the National Bank of Poland. Shares in domestic lenders fell sharply after the announcement, with the WIG Banks index slipping about 8% in morning trading. Officials estimate the higher corporate tax will generate roughly 6.5 billion zloty ($1.8 billion) in additional revenue in 2026. Analysts noted the abandoned reserves-interest levy would have been less onerous for the sector than the steeper income-tax increase now planned.