Gray zone for non-bank loans account for 19%, worth PLN 5.3 bln
Poland’s unregulated nonbank loan market accounts for an estimated 19% of the sector, or PLN 5.3 bln, up more than PLN 200 mln in less than a year. More than 1.2 mln transactions took place outside state oversight and consumer protections over the past 12 months. In August 2026, nonbank lenders rejected 83.5% of applications, up from 79.5% y/y. WEI estimates that legal lenders could not meet PLN 11 bln in demand, and about 45% of consumers whose applications are denied may turn to unregulated lenders.
WEI attributes the market’s growth partly to caps on noninterest loan costs, arguing they can make legal lending unviable for higher-risk borrowers, who then lack regulatory safeguards.
