Thursday, 6 November 2025
Credit cards issued by non-bank lending institutions are gaining ground in Poland’s consumer finance market, according to the latest data from the Polish Credit Information Bureau (BIK). The report shows that both the number of users and the total value of credit card limits have grown sharply this year, with loan-company cards seeing far more active use than those issued by banks.
Over the first nine months of 2025, the value of credit limits granted by loan institutions increased by nearly a quarter compared with the same period last year. Total outstanding balances on these cards were around 70% higher year-on-year, with more than 200,000 customers now using such products.
In contrast, the traditional banking sector has seen only minimal growth in credit card borrowing. Total debt on bank-issued cards rose by just a fraction, while the value of new limits granted during the first three quarters increased by about 7%. The number of bank credit card holders continues to decline, standing at roughly 4.4 million people.
Data suggest that clients of loan institutions are drawing down their limits much more rapidly and extensively than bank customers. On average, users of these cards spend more than four-fifths of their available credit, and for smaller limits – around PLN 2,000 – that share rises to over 90%. In many cases, nearly all of the credit line is used within days of activation and remains heavily drawn in subsequent months.
By comparison, bank credit card users tend to be more cautious. The average utilisation rate for active bank cards is below half of the available limit, and new cards typically see only about one-quarter of their balance used shortly after being issued.
The data also show a significant difference in repayment discipline. Around 14% of customers using credit cards from loan institutions have payments overdue by more than three months, compared with less than 8% among bank card users. Broader indicators of financial stress reveal that one in four holders of loan-institution cards is behind on other obligations in the wider financial system, while this share is closer to 6% among bank card users.
Market analysts point out that the rapid rise in loan-company credit cards reflects both consumer appetite for quick access to funds and the sector’s aggressive approach to building customer relationships. However, the high rate of limit utilisation and repayment delays raise concerns about potential overextension among some borrowers.
Experts emphasise that preventing excessive borrowing and ensuring borrowers fully understand the costs of revolving credit should remain a joint responsibility of lenders, regulators, and consumers.
Source: BIK
