Regulatory AlertsPoland: fintech & payments regulation
RegulatedPSD2 framework; KNF supervises payment institutions under Polish Payment Services Act
- Lead regulator
- Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF)
- Also involved
- NBP (monetary policy) · UODO (data protection)
- Core law
- Act on Payment Services (2011, amended)
- Entry capital
- PLN 20,000 (Payment Institution)
- Approval timeline
- 6-12 months
- Customer assets
- Segregated accounts required
- Data protection
- GDPR & Polish Personal Data Protection Act · UODO
- Sandbox
- Yes - KNF Regulatory Sandbox
Poland implements the EU Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) via the national Payment Services Act. The KNF is the primary supervisor for payment institutions and e-money institutions. The regime is fully aligned with EU standards, requiring authorization for most payment activities, with strict capital and governance requirements.
Which licence do you need?
| Your activity | Requirement | Capital | Timeline | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment processing / gateway | LicencePayment Institution Requires authorization under Payment Services Act | PLN 20,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
| E-money & wallet issuance | LicenceE-money Institution Higher capital than payment institutions | PLN 350,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
| Domestic money transfer | LicencePayment Institution Domestic transfers fall under payment services | PLN 20,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
| Cross-border remittance | LicencePayment Institution Cross-border payments require full authorization | PLN 20,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
| Agent network | RegistrationAgent Registration Agents must be registered with KNF | — | — | KNF |
| Open banking / account information | LicenceAIS/PSP Account Information Service Providers need authorization | PLN 20,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
| Foreign-exchange services | LicencePayment Institution FX services are payment services under PSD2 | PLN 20,000 | 6-12 months | KNF |
New — what changed recently
- 2021-01-01PSD2 Implementation — Full implementation of PSD2 into Polish law, enhancing consumer protection and open banking rules
Market-entry checklist
- 1Prepare capital proofEnsure PLN 20,000 for payment institutions or PLN 350,000 for e-money institutions
- 2Submit KNF applicationFile comprehensive application with business plan and governance structure
- 3Establish segregated accountsSet up dedicated client funds accounts as required by law
- 4Register agentsRegister any agent network with the KNF before operations
- 5Comply with AMLImplement robust anti-money laundering procedures per Polish law
This guide is compiled automatically from 0 primary-source documents published by Poland's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-07-12). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.