Hungary banking fees rise significantly since 2010

Banking fees and financial services in Hungary have seen significant increases since 2010, outstripping growth rates in both the European Union and neighboring regional countries. According to data, the price of financial services in Hungary has increased more than 2.6 times since 2010, compared to an average of 1.5 times across the EU. Experts attribute these rises to both inflation and specific tax changes, including the introduction of bank tax in 2010 and various adjustments to transaction taxes in 2013 and 2024.

Recent data from the Magyar Nemzeti Bank shows that in the first half of 2026, revenue from account management totaled 106.6 billion forints, representing a 0.6 percent year-on-year stagnation. Card issuance revenue reached 27.1 billion forints, a 6.4 percent decrease compared to the previous year. This slowdown is linked to voluntary fee freezes previously encouraged by economic policy. However, recent inflation trends suggest a potential rebound, with financial service fees rising by over 5 percent in July and 6 percent in August.