Loan instalments and borrowing costs in Poland continue to decline. At the same time, although Poles remain cautious about taking on debt, their credit capacity has increased significantly thanks to interest rate cuts – according to the latest edition of the Infokredyt 2025 report published by the Polish Bank Association (ZBP).
November 17 marks Debt-Free Day in Poland. To mark the occasion, ZBP presents the newest edition of its Infokredyt 2025 report – a comprehensive analysis of the credit market, household indebtedness, monetary policy, and consumer trends.
Interest Rates Down – Lower Instalments and Lower Loan Costs
In 2025, the Monetary Policy Council cut the main interest rate by a total of 1.50 percentage points, directly reducing loan instalments and increasing access to financing.
According to ZBP’s analysis, the average mortgage instalment has fallen by 11%, and over the full life of a loan this translates into a 22.3% reduction in total cost. Credit availability has also improved – the same mortgage can now be obtained by a borrower with income over 11% lower than before the rate-cut cycle began.
Almost Half of Adult Poles Have a Loan – But Repayment Quality Remains Stable
The report shows that 47.3% of adult Poles currently have a loan or credit.
The highest average indebtedness is in the Mazowieckie region (PLN 75,400), while the lowest is in the Podkarpackie region (PLN 36,800), which also has the lowest share of loans overdue by more than 90 days (4.7%). Despite the rising volume of loans, overall portfolio quality remains stable – credit risk indicators show only minor fluctuations, and the mortgage segment remains the safest category.
Credit Is Growing, but Poland Still Borrows Less Than Europe
Compared with the European Union, Poland remains a country with a relatively low level of indebtedness among both households and businesses. Loans to the non-financial sector account for 31.7% of GDP, one of the lowest ratios in the EU, which points to a significant potential for further growth of the credit market. Mortgage loans account for 12.6% of GDP, also far below the EU average – in Denmark, for example, this figure exceeds 78%.
Rising credit capacity and a gradual easing of banks’ lending policies have led to stronger customer activity. In September 2025, banks issued:
- 52.4% more mortgage loans (y/y)
- 18.8% more cash loans (y/y)
The deferred payments (BNPL) segment is expanding rapidly as well. In the first half of 2025, BNPL transactions reached PLN 6.3 billion, used by 2.86 million people. More than half of new BNPL users are entering the financial system for the first time.
Poles Have Savings – But Less Than the European Average
Household deposits now exceed PLN 1.4 trillion, accounting for more than 70% of all deposits in the sector. However, the savings rate of Polish households stands at 12.8%, significantly lower than in countries such as France, Sweden, or the Netherlands.
According to Infokredyt 2025, loans to the non-financial sector make up 34% of bank assets, which – combined with the relatively small size of the Polish banking sector – indicates a shortage of credit in the economy. In Poland, the ratio of loans to non-financial sector deposits is among the lowest in the entire EU, with only Cyprus, Greece, and Ireland ranking lower. This reflects the high liquidity of Poland’s banking sector, but also highlights a substantial potential for expanding lending activity.
Source: CEO.com.pl
