Poland: Record household assets and rising consumer debt

Recent financial data from Poland reveals contrasting trends in household wealth and debt. As of the first quarter of 2026, Polish households held a record 4.1 trillion PLN in total financial assets. Notably, cash holdings reached 456.37 billion PLN, representing 11.1% of all financial assets and 11.5% of GDP. This places Poland third in the European Union for cash holdings relative to GDP, trailing only Slovenia and Germany.

Conversely, consumer debt shows concerning patterns. The average debt per debtor rose to 22,762 PLN by the second quarter of 2026, an increase of over 700 PLN compared to the previous year. While the total value of reported debt decreased slightly to 28.46 billion PLN, the rising average suggests increasing difficulty for some households to manage living costs.

Specific demographics are also facing challenges. Debt among young adults aged 18 to 24 has reached 97.17 million PLN, involving approximately 31,700 individuals. While 88% of these debts are relatively small—under 5,000 PLN—analysts warn that these early-life financial burdens can impact long-term stability. Within the broader debt structure, alimony payments account for a significant 62.1% of the total debt value, despite representing a smaller share of individual cases.