Georgia
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
LatviaNikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the MNB licence, including banking and payment rails.
Get a forex license in Hungary.
A forex licence in Hungary comes from the central bank itself. The Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) grants CFD and FX brokers an investment-firm activity licence under Act CXXXVIII of 2007 on investment firms and commodity dealers (Bszt.) and has three months from a complete file to decide. Capital follows the EU classes of €75,000, €150,000 and €750,000, the MNB fee is HUF 2,700,000 paid with the application, and corporate tax is 9%. We build the file in our own Budapest office at Korányi Sándor u. 4.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Hungary in brief
A central-bank licence on a three-month clock.
In law, a forex licence in Hungary is the activity licence (tevékenységi engedély) of a befektetési vállalkozás, the Hungarian investment firm, under the Bszt., which has carried MiFID II since 3 January 2018. There is no separate forex or CFD category. The services sit in Bszt. 5. § (1): a market maker needs point c), dealing on own account (sajátszámlás kereskedés), and an agency broker points a) and b). Instruments sit in 6. §: currency derivatives under d), CFDs under i). Initial capital under Bszt. 13. § (1) is €150,000 as the main rule, €750,000 once dealing on own account is licensed, and €75,000 only for a firm limited to points a), b), d), e) or g) that may hold neither client money nor instruments. Under 49. § of Act CXXXIX of 2013 on the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNBtv.), the MNB decides within three months of a complete application, half the six months MiFID II allows.
The MNB is paid before it looks at the merits: HUF 2,700,000 per procedure under MNB Decree 23/2026, in force since 1 August 2026, which goes in with the filing and stays with the MNB on refusal or withdrawal. The Investor Protection Fund (Befektető-védelmi Alap, BEVA) has to be joined before the MNB filing. Filing is electronic only, through the MNB's ERA system, and Act CIII of 2023 on the digital state (Dáptv.) makes a paper application void under 19. § (5). The applicant must be a company limited by shares or a branch, which rules out the familiar Kft. At least two executive managers need three years of managerial practice in finance or economics each. Corporate tax is 9%. The finance-sector taxes are the line we model before a client picks Hungary for that rate.
The MNB activity licence under the Bszt. (Act CXXXVIII of 2007): €150k by default, €750k to deal on own account, €75k without client assets, and a decision within three months of a complete file.
HUF 2,700,000 paid at filing and kept on refusal, BEVA joined first, ERA filing only, a share company with two managers. Corporate tax 9%. Built in our own Budapest office.
The two routes
Dealing on own account - or the €150,000 agency firm.
One activity licence under Bszt. 5. §, two builds: the market maker at €750,000, or the agency broker at the €150,000 main rule and €75,000 where no client assets are held. The HUF 2,700,000 fee does not change with the number of activities.
The €750k market maker - or the €150k agency firm, €75k with no client assets.
01 - DEALING ON OWN ACCOUNT
The market-maker licence
Dealing on own account under Bszt. 5. § (1) c) puts a CFD market maker in the €750,000 class of Bszt. 13. § (1). The capital is paid in cash into a bank with no ownership link to the founders, and the IFR K-factor requirement sits above the floor.
Dealing on own account under Bszt. 5. § (1) c) puts a CFD market maker in the €750,000 class of Bszt. 13. § (1). The capital is paid in cash into a bank with no ownership link to the founders, and the IFR K-factor requirement sits above the floor.
- ✓Bszt. 5. § (1) c) - sajátszámlás kereskedés
- ✓€750,000 initial capital, paid in cash
- ✓IFR K-factor own funds above the floor
- ✓BEVA membership before filing
- ✓ESMA tiers: 30:1 down to 2:1
- ✓Passport into 30 EEA states
02 - AGENCY · STP
€150,000 main ruleThe agency broker
Reception, transmission and execution under Bszt. 5. § (1) a)-b), with client accounts under 5. § (2) a) where the model holds client money, fall under the €150,000 main rule. The €75,000 class needs a licence that excludes client money and instruments altogether.
RTO and execution; €150k main rule, €75k with no client assets; own account added later with no MNB fee.
- ✓RTO and execution - points a) and b)
- ✓€150,000 - the Bszt. 13. § main rule
- ✓€75,000 - no client money or instruments
- ✓The same HUF 2,700,000 fee
- ✓Own account added later, no MNB fee
- ✓BEVA membership required as well
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. The HUF 2,700,000 MNB fee is due with the filing; the current supervisory fee is confirmed with the MNB before we quote, and BEVA, capital and substance costs are itemised.
Why Hungary
A short clock and a 9% rate, paid for up front.
Hungary gives a CFD broker a three-month statutory clock and a 9% corporate rate; in return the MNB wants a heavy file and its fee in advance.
✓
Three months by statute
MNBtv. 49. § gives the MNB three months from a complete application, against the six months of MiFID II Art. 7(3). The deficiency notice must come within 45 days of receipt, so gaps surface early.MNBtv. 49. §, from a complete file.
✓
9% corporate tax
Hungary taxes a company's positive tax base at 9% under 19. § (1) of Act LXXXI of 1996 on corporate tax and dividend tax (Tao. tv.), lower than Poland's 19%, Czechia's 21% or Austria's 23%.Below Poland, Czechia and Austria.
✓
One supervisor, one channel
The MNB is both the central bank and the integrated supervisor for prudential, conduct, market and AML matters. Its Money and Capital Markets Licensing Department runs the file, and every order arrives through ERA.Central bank, one channel: ERA.
✓
Growth without a second fee
Extending the licence uses the same EU form and carries no MNB administrative fee. An agency firm that later adds dealing on own account pays for the capital step to €750,000, not for a second HUF 2,700,000 procedure.Scope grows without a second fee.
✓
The MNB's view of forex
The MNB's consumer booklet on online forex, published in September 2023, calls it among the riskiest forms of investment and warns against aggressive advertising. We write the marketing and appropriateness sections of the file for that reader.The MNB calls it among the riskiest.
✓
Our own Budapest office
Prifinance has its own office in Budapest. The lawyers who draft the Hungarian file also attend the MNB's personal consultation and answer its deficiency notice, in the same city as the MNB.Korányi Sándor u. 4.
How it compares
How Hungary differs from other routes.
The honest comparison: Hungary has the lowest corporate tax of the four and a three-month clock; Poland decides faster on paper, Czechia charges no annual supervisory levy and Austria accepts a GmbH.
Hungary vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Hungary | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory clock | 3 months from a complete file | 6 months Czechia, Austria · 2 months Poland |
| Licence fee | HUF 2,700,000, non-refundable | €3,750-€10,000 Austria · €4,500 cap Poland |
| Corporate tax | 9% + local tax up to 2% | 19% Poland · 21% Czechia · 23% Austria |
| Legal form | Company limited by shares or branch | GmbH or AG Austria · a.s. or s.r.o. Czechia |
Statutory clock
Hungary3 months from a complete file
Other jurisdictions6 months Czechia, Austria · 2 months Poland
Licence fee
HungaryHUF 2,700,000, non-refundable
Other jurisdictions€3,750-€10,000 Austria · €4,500 cap Poland
Corporate tax
Hungary9% + local tax up to 2%
Other jurisdictions19% Poland · 21% Czechia · 23% Austria
Legal form
HungaryCompany limited by shares or branch
Other jurisdictionsGmbH or AG Austria · a.s. or s.r.o. Czechia
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | MNB investment firm | 9% CIT · local tax up to 2% | IFD €75k-€750k, 3-month clock |
 Czechia | ČNB investment firm (OCP) | 21% CIT · 15% WHT | IFD €75k-€750k, no annual levy |
 Poland | KNF dom maklerski | 19% CIT · 9% small | IFD €75k-€750k, 2-month clock |
 Austria | FMA Wertpapierfirma | 23% CIT · 24% above €1m from 2028 | WPFG €75k-€750k, a manager living in Austria |
HungaryLicense typeMNB investment firm
Taxation9% CIT · local tax up to 2%
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, 3-month clock
CzechiaLicense typeČNB investment firm (OCP)
Taxation21% CIT · 15% WHT
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, no annual levy
PolandLicense typeKNF dom maklerski
Taxation19% CIT · 9% small
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, 2-month clock
AustriaLicense typeFMA Wertpapierfirma
Taxation23% CIT · 24% above €1m from 2028
RequirementsWPFG €75k-€750k, a manager living in Austria
Europe
Forex licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
Before you apply
Requirements for the MNB licence.Requirements for the licence.
Bszt. 28. § (1) asks for more than the EU application minimum, from a recovery plan to the BEVA joining certificate. These ten items are what the MNB expects to find in the ERA filing.
01
Company limited by shares or branch - a részvénytársaság or the branch of a foreign firm (Bszt. 16. § (1)), managed from a central office in Hungary (Bszt. 28. § (1) e)).
02
Initial capital in cash - €75,000, €150,000 or €750,000 under Bszt. 13. § (1), paid into a credit institution that is neither a founder nor tied to one by ownership (Bszt. 15. § (3)), with its lawful origin proven.
03
Two executive managers - each with higher education, three years of relevant practice and three years of managerial practice in finance or economics, a clean record and no professional ban (Bszt. 22. § (1a)).
04
Control functions - heads of internal audit, risk management, compliance and complaints handling named with CVs under Delegated Regulation 2017/565 Art. 22-24 and 26.
05
Qualifying holdings - prior MNB approval, with owners tested for prudent ownership, reputation and a clean record under Bszt. 37. § (4) a)-e).
06
Three-year business plan - balance-sheet and P&L forecasts with the IFR capital and liquidity calculations (Bszt. 28. § (1) k)).
07
Rulebooks - SZMSZ organisational rules, terms of business, conflicts and execution policies, money-handling rules and the risk and trading-book rules (Bszt. 28. § (1) d), o), r), s)).
08
IT and DORA - about 19 DORA document sets, an auditor's statement that the IT system meets Bszt. 18. § (2), and certification by an accredited certifier, which may follow the licence.
09
Auditor, recovery plan and funds - an auditor qualified for investment firms (Bszt. 97. § (1)), a recovery plan (Bszt. 102. §), the BEVA joining certificate and a declaration of joining the Resolution Fund (Szanálási Alap).
10
AML/CFT - policies under Act LIII of 2017 (Pmt.) and on EU and UN sanctions, plus a board-approved suitability assessment of the AML designated manager and compliance officer (Pmt. 63. § (4a), (5)).
01
Share company or branch, run from Hungary.
02
Capital in cash, origin proven.
03
Two qualified executive managers.
04
Named control-function heads.
05
Owners approved by the MNB.
06
Three-year plan with IFR maths.
07
Rulebooks under Bszt. 28. §.
08
IT audit and DORA sets.
09
Auditor, recovery plan, BEVA.
10
AML officers assessed.
Reflects Act CXXXVIII of 2007 (Bszt.), Act CXXXIX of 2013 (MNBtv.), MNB Decree 23/2026 and IFR/IFD as of 2026. The file and its attachments reach the MNB through ERA only.Bszt. + MNBtv. + MNB Decree 23/2026 + IFR/IFD, as of 2026.
How it works
From ERA registration to the MNB's decision.
01
Model and scope
Market maker or agency broker, the Bszt. 5. § points and the capital class - fixed in writing before drafting starts.Bszt. 5. § points fixed.
02
Company, capital and BEVA
Share company formed, capital paid in cash, BEVA joined and its 0.5% joining fee paid.Capital in cash, fund joined.
03
The ERA filing
Registration on ERA, then the EU e-form with every Bszt. 28. § attachment and the HUF 2,700,000 fee on the same day.E-form, attachments, HUF 2.7m.
04
MNB review
Receipt confirmed within 10 working days, any deficiency notice within 45 days, then three months from completeness. Our planning figure for the whole run is 8-12 months.3 months statutory, 8-12 planned.
05
Licence and launch
Licensed activity starts on the grant; passport notifications, the IT certificate and the quarterly BEVA data returns follow.Passports, IT certificate, BEVA returns.
Quick facts
RegulatorMNB
FrameworkBszt. · MNBtv. · Tpt.
Capital - main rule€150,000
No client assets€75,000
Own account€750,000
Licence feeHUF 2,700,000
Statutory decision3 months from complete file
Realistic timeline8-12 months
The MNB examines the merits only once its fee is paid. A file that is complete on the day it goes in is what keeps the three months real.
On the ground in Hungary
Run from our own Budapest office.
Prifinance - Hungary
Budapest · Korányi Sándor u. 4
Korányi Sándor u. 4, Budapest
01
Share company and capital
We incorporate the company limited by shares for the licence and route the cash capital through a bank with no ownership link to the founders, with the origin of the funds documented.Capital routed, origin documented.
02
ERA and the MNB file
Our lawyers at Korányi Sándor u. 4 register the applicant on ERA, prepare the e-form with the Bszt. 28. § attachments and answer the MNB's deficiency notice through the same channel.Filed and defended online.
03
BEVA before filing
BEVA membership and its joining fee are arranged ahead of the application, so the joining certificate is already in the file the MNB receives.Certificate in the file.
04
Managers and control functions
Executive managers and the heads of compliance, risk, internal audit and AML are identified and checked against Bszt. 22. § before their CVs reach the MNB, and we book the MNB's personal consultation when a case needs one.Checked against Bszt. 22. §.
We also have offices in
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of forex brokers in Hungary.
The 9% corporate rate is the headline; the municipal business tax and the finance-sector taxes decide the real figure.
Corporate tax 9%
Tao. tv. 19. § (1) taxes the positive tax base at 9%, and the return and the balance fall due by 31 May of the following year.Return due 31 May.
Advances by size
Corporate tax advances are paid monthly when the previous year's tax exceeded HUF 20 million and quarterly below that (Tao. tv. 26. §).Monthly above HUF 20m.
Local business tax up to 2%
Each municipality sets its own helyi iparűzési adó, which Act C of 1990 on local taxes (Htv.) caps at 2% of the tax base.Up to 2%, municipal.
Finance-sector taxes
Act LIX of 2006 taxes financial organisations, and Act CXVI of 2012 levies a financial transaction duty with a supplementary duty on concluded swap transactions. How far either reaches a CFD broker is confirmed per structure.Modelled per structure.
VAT-exempt financial services
Financial services are exempt under 86. § (1) of Act CXXVII of 2007 on VAT (Áfa tv.), the Hungarian transposition of the VAT Directive's financial exemptions.Áfa tv. 86. § (1).
Payroll in 2026
Personal income tax is 15% and the social contribution tax (szocho) 13% in 2026 - the rates that price two executive managers and the control functions.PIT 15%, szocho 13%.
Tax summary
Corporate tax9% · Tao. tv. 19. §
Local business taxUp to 2% · municipal
AdvancesMonthly above HUF 20m tax · else quarterly
VAT on financial servicesExempt · Áfa tv. 86. § (1)
Payroll 2026PIT 15% · szocho 13%
*As of 2026 per Act LXXXI of 1996 (Tao. tv.), Act C of 1990 (Htv.) and the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV). Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Hungarian company limited by shares, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed broker.
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Hungary · MNB
Launch your forex project in Hungary with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the share company and BEVA membership to the MNB licence, passporting and ongoing compliance - run through our own Budapest office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Hungary the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Hungary forex licence, answered.
What licence does a forex broker need in Hungary?+
An investment-firm activity licence from the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) under Act CXXXVIII of 2007 (Bszt.). A market maker adds dealing on own account under 5. § (1) c); CFDs and currency derivatives are Bszt. 6. § instruments, and Hungary has no separate forex category.
How much capital does the MNB require?+
€150,000 under the main rule of Bszt. 13. § (1), €750,000 once dealing on own account is licensed, and €75,000 for a firm that may hold no client money or instruments. The euro amounts convert to forints at the MNB's official rate of the day, and the capital is paid in cash.
How long does the MNB take to decide?+
Three months from a complete application under MNBtv. 49. §. The MNB confirms receipt within 10 working days and sends any deficiency notice within 45 days. We plan for 8-12 months from first drafting to the licence, because the Hungarian file is heavier than the EU minimum.
What does the MNB licence cost?+
HUF 2,700,000 per procedure under MNB Decree 23/2026, in force since 1 August 2026, whatever the number of activities. It is paid with the electronic filing and not refunded on refusal or withdrawal. The annual supervisory fee has a basic part due by 31 January and a variable part paid half-yearly.
Can a Kft. hold a Hungarian investment-firm licence?+
No. Bszt. 16. § (1) gives the MNB licence only to a company limited by shares or a branch, so we form the licence company as a részvénytársaság from the start. It must be managed from Hungary by at least two executive managers.
What does BEVA membership cost?+
Joining BEVA, Hungary's Investor Protection Fund, costs 0.5% of subscribed capital, between HUF 500,000 and HUF 3,000,000, paid before the MNB filing and refunded if the licence is refused. The annual fee is 1.1 per mille of insured client assets up to €100,000 per investor, at least HUF 2,000,000; a new member pays that minimum in year one.
What retail CFD rules apply in Hungary?+
Hungary's permanent national measure carries the ESMA package: 30:1 leverage on major currency pairs down to 2:1 on crypto, close-out at 50% of required margin, negative balance protection, no bonuses and a risk warning. Selling binary options to retail clients has been banned since July 2018.
How are forex brokers taxed in Hungary?+
Corporate tax is 9% under Tao. tv. 19. § (1), with a municipal business tax capped at 2% and VAT exemption for financial services. Dividends to foreign-resident individuals carry withholding at the treaty rate on proof of residence; the finance-sector taxes and the corporate-shareholder position are confirmed per structure.
Hungary or Czechia for a regional CFD market maker?+
Hungary taxes at 9% against Czechia's 21% and decides in three months against six. Czechia charges no annual supervisory levy, accepts an s.r.o., and its compensation fund takes 2% of commissions with a CZK 10,000 floor, where BEVA's annual minimum is HUF 2,000,000. We run both models on your expected flow before you choose.
Why Prifinance for Hungary?+
Our own Budapest office at Korányi Sándor u. 4 builds the Hungarian file end to end: the share company, BEVA membership, the ERA filing and the replies to the MNB's deficiency notice. Executive managers and control-function heads are found and checked in Budapest before the MNB sees a CV.
What licence?+
MNB activity licence, Bszt.
Capital?+
€150k main rule; €750k own account.
How long?+
3 months statutory; 8-12 planned.
Fee?+
HUF 2,700,000, non-refundable.
A Kft.?+
No - share company or branch.
BEVA?+
0.5% to join; HUF 2m a year minimum.
Retail rules?+
ESMA tiers, NBP, no bonuses.
Taxes?+
9% CIT; local tax up to 2%.
Vs Czechia?+
Your 9% and 3 months; their zero levy.
Why you?+
Own Budapest office, file end to end.
Client notes
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Central Bank of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Bank, MNB) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.