Polish micro firms see modest rise in credit financing despite regulatory uncertainty

Micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for roughly half of Poland's GDP and are a key client segment for banks. They traditionally rely on internal funds, using credit mainly for working‑capital needs, while investment loans remain rare. Bank officials say greater use of investment financing could help firms scale faster, but regulatory and economic uncertainty, along with low equity levels, keep credit uptake low – only about 17% of Polish micro‑firms are financed, one of the lowest rates in the EU.

Data from the Credit Information Bureau show the total SME credit portfolio grew 11.5% in 2025 to 126.6 billion zł, with investment loans rising 34% year‑on‑year to 28.9 billion zł. In the first half of 2026 banks granted micro‑enterprises 13.6 billion zł in loans, 7.4% more in number and 16.4% more in value than a year earlier. The increase was broad‑based across sectors, led by services (36% of value) and trade (26%). While the number of investment loans fell, their average size grew, and overall credit quality remained stable.