The Polish non-bank lending market continues to grow at a high pace, with September data from the Credit Information Bureau (BIK) confirming sustained strong activity in both cash and instalment segments. The dominant trend remains the prevalence of short-term cash loans, used primarily as quick liquidity support for households.
Record Activity in Cash Loans up to 60 Days
In September 2025, lending institutions issued 467,000 short-term cash loans (up to 60 days) — an increase of 11% year-on-year. In value terms, sales reached PLN 1.157 billion, up a remarkable 24.8% year-on-year. The average loan amount rose to PLN 2,476 (+12.5% y/y). This segment accounted for 71% of total cash loan value and as much as 86% of cash loan volume in the past month.
“Such strong demand indicates that consumers increasingly use loans primarily as a tool to extinguish short-term financial pressures, rather than to plan longer-term financing,” BIK noted.
Long-Term Loans Also Rising — But with a Different Purpose
Cash loans with a maturity exceeding 60 days reached a total value of PLN 475 million (+31.2% y/y), with 76,000 agreements issued (+22.6% y/y). The average value was PLN 6,208 — a moderate increase of 7% year-on-year. The data suggests that consumers are more frequently financing larger expenses in a more distributed manner — though still on a smaller scale than with traditional bank credit.
Instalment Loan Segment: Surge in Volume, Decline in Average Value
In the instalment loan segment — often provided at retail points of sale and in e-commerce — 892,000 agreements were issued in September, an increase of 28.6% versus the previous year. Total sales value amounted to PLN 580 million (+19.1% y/y). However, the average loan value fell to PLN 650 (–7.4% y/y).
“Lending institutions are increasingly granting microfinancing, which directly reflects the decline in the average instalment loan value. Clients are using ‘zero-interest’ and micro-instalment offers mainly for everyday purchases — not investment spending,” commented Dr. Waldemar Rogowski, Chief Analyst at BIK Group.
Market Structure Unchanged: Instalments Lead in Volume, Cash Leads in Value
The dominance of instalment loans in numerical terms, and cash loans in terms of total value, remains a defining feature of the Polish non-bank lending market. In total, for the January–September 2025 period, loan companies issued:
- 14.2% more cash loans up to 60 days (value +28.5%)
- 20.6% more cash loans over 60 days (value +29.4%)
- 25.4% more instalment loans (value +16.8%)
Two Clear Trends: Financial Pressure and the Rise of Micro-Payments
September’s data confirms two parallel dynamics: mounting pressure on household liquidity, and the growing popularity of deferred micro-payments. The Polish non-bank lending market is becoming increasingly transactional — used not only in emergency scenarios, but as a standard tool for day-to-day consumption financing.
If the current pace continues, 2025 may set an all-time record both in the number and total value of loans issued.
