Nikolai 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 decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an EMI license in Hungary.
The EU's lowest corporate tax under a serious central bank: the MNB licenses e-money institutions under Act CCXXXV of 2013, the passport covers the whole EU/EEA, and the profit lands at 9%. We run the file from our own Budapest office.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Hungary in brief
Nine percent, supervised by a central bank.
Hungary licenses e-money institutions through the Magyar Nemzeti Bank - the central bank runs financial supervision directly - under Act CCXXXV of 2013 on payment service providers. The structure is orderly and published: an activity authorisation for the institution, personal authorisations for its executives, initial capital equivalent to €350,000 in forint for the EMI (payment-institution tiers below), safeguarding, and a three-month administrative window from a complete file. The MNB publishes licensing guides for both institution types and keeps a searchable public register of every authorised firm.
The commercial argument is arithmetic: Hungary's corporate tax is 9% - the lowest headline rate in the European Union - with no withholding on dividends paid to foreign companies, a local business tax of up to 2% and modest innovation contributions on top. An EMI's fee and float income lands at rates most jurisdictions reserve for special regimes, inside a full EU/EEA passport. Budapest adds real depth: a financial-services talent pool, Central Europe's connectivity, and our own office on Korányi Sándor utca - this is one of the few desks where Prifinance files from its own address. Realistic end-to-end: 9-15 months; the file runs in Hungarian, and we draft it natively.
MNB authorisation under Act CCXXXV of 2013: €350,000-equivalent capital, activity + personal authorisations, Hungarian file, EU passport.
The arithmetic: 9% corporate tax - the EU's lowest - with no corporate dividend withholding. We file from our own Budapest office.
The two routes
E-money institution - or the payment-institution tier.
One central bank, two entries: the EMI at €350,000 equivalent, or payment-institution licences below. Each with the MNB's activity-and-personal authorisation structure. We fix the scope first, then build once.
EMI at €350,000 equivalent - or PI tiers, all at the 9% rate.
01 - E-MONEY INSTITUTION
EMI authorisation
The flagship MNB authorisation: e-money issuance plus the payment-services list, €350,000-equivalent capital, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting. At a 9% corporate rate.
The flagship MNB authorisation: e-money issuance plus the payment-services list, €350,000-equivalent capital, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting. At a 9% corporate rate.
- ✓E-money issuance and distribution
- ✓Full PSD2 payment-services list
- ✓€350,000 equivalent · own funds ongoing
- ✓Safeguarding of client funds
- ✓EU/EEA passport on notification
- ✓MNB public register entry
02 - PAYMENT INSTITUTION ROUTES
9% on the profitPI routes
Payment-institution licences run by service tier under the same Act. Remittance to acquiring, initiation and account information. With executives cleared through the MNB's personal-authorisation track.
PI licences by tier; PIS/AIS; executives cleared via personal authorisations; upgrade path.
- ✓PI licences by service tier
- ✓Money remittance and transfers
- ✓PIS/AIS routes
- ✓Personal authorisations for executives
- ✓Upgrade path to the EMI
- ✓Same MNB supervision
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. MNB fees follow its published schedules; capital, safeguarding and substance costs are itemised in your quote.
Why Hungary
The arithmetic does the arguing.
The framework is EMD2/PSD2 under the central bank. Attached to the lowest corporate rate in the Union.
✓
9% corporate tax
The EU's lowest headline rate, not a special regime, not a refund mechanism, just the statutory rate on an EMI's profit.The EU's lowest - statutory.
✓
No dividend withholding to companies
Hungary levies no withholding tax on dividends paid to foreign corporate shareholders. The 9% outcome survives the trip to the holding company.9% survives to the holding.
✓
A central-bank stamp
The MNB supervises directly. Activity and personal authorisations, published guides and a public register give the licence institutional weight across the region.MNB supervises directly.
✓
Our own Budapest office
Prifinance files Hungarian mandates from its own address on Korányi Sándor utca. Local counsel, local presence, no intermediary between you and the desk.We file from our address.
✓
Central Europe's crossroads
Budapest connects DACH, the Balkans and the CEE growth belt. A natural seat for regional payment flows at Central European cost.DACH-Balkans-CEE seat.
✓
PSD3-ready files
With PSD3/PSR close to adoption, e-money folds into the unified payment-institution regime. We structure Hungarian files to convert rather than be rebuilt.Built to convert, not rebuild.
How it compares
How Hungary differs from other routes.
Hungary trades a Hungarian-language file for the EU's lowest rate. The comparison is below.
Hungary vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Hungary | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | Act CCXXXV/2013 - MNB | Same directives, other desks |
| Corporate tax | 9% - EU's lowest | 12.5-33% |
| Dividend WHT (corporate) | None | 5-30% with relief |
| File language | Hungarian | Usually English |
Regulatory regime
HungaryAct CCXXXV/2013 - MNB
Other jurisdictionsSame directives, other desks
Corporate tax
Hungary9% - EU's lowest
Other jurisdictions12.5-33%
Dividend WHT (corporate)
HungaryNone
Other jurisdictions5-30% with relief
File language
HungaryHungarian
Other jurisdictionsUsually English
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | EMI (MNB) | 9% CIT | Hungarian file, central bank |
 Lithuania | EMI (Bank of Lithuania) | 17% CIT (2026) | CENTROlink, specialised desk |
 Poland | KIPE / KIP (KNF) | 19% · small 9% | Polish file, MIP on-ramp |
 Czech Republic | PI/EMI (CNB) | 21% CIT | Solid desk, smaller market |
HungaryLicense typeEMI (MNB)
Taxation9% CIT
RequirementsHungarian file, central bank
LithuaniaLicense typeEMI (Bank of Lithuania)
Taxation17% CIT (2026)
RequirementsCENTROlink, specialised desk
PolandLicense typeKIPE / KIP (KNF)
Taxation19% · small 9%
RequirementsPolish file, MIP on-ramp
Czech RepublicLicense typePI/EMI (CNB)
Taxation21% CIT
RequirementsSolid desk, smaller market
Before you apply
Requirements for the MNB authorisation.Requirements for the authorisation.
The MNB publishes licensing guides for the institution and its people. The craft is a Hungarian-language file that answers both. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Hungarian entity. A Kft. or Zrt. with its registered office and management in Hungary.
02
Initial capital. The forint equivalent of €350,000 for the EMI, evidenced and paid in; PI tiers below.
03
Fit and proper executives. Cleared individually through the MNB's personal-authorisation track.
04
Transparent ownership. Qualifying holders disclosed and assessed to UBO level.
05
Programme of operations. Services, volumes and three-year financials the central bank can interrogate.
06
Safeguarding. Segregated client-fund accounts or insurance, with documented reconciliation.
07
AML/CFT framework. KYC, monitoring and NAV FIU reporting with a resident compliance officer.
08
IT and security documentation. Architecture, DORA-grade resilience and incident procedures.
09
Internal governance. Control functions, outsourcing register and conflicts procedures.
10
Hungarian-language file. The application and annexes drafted and defended in Hungarian.
01
Hungarian Kft./Zrt., managed locally.
02
€350,000 equivalent capital.
03
Executives cleared personally.
04
Owners transparent to UBOs.
05
Interrogable programme of operations.
06
Safeguarding with reconciliation.
07
AML with resident officer (NAV FIU).
08
DORA-grade IT documentation.
09
Governance and outsourcing register.
10
Full file in Hungarian.
Reflects Act CCXXXV of 2013 and the MNB's published licensing guides as of 2026.Act CCXXXV/2013 + MNB guides, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the MNB register.
01
Route and strategy
EMI or PI tier. We fix the scope, capital and timeline in writing before any drafting.EMI or PI - in writing.
02
Hungarian company and people
Kft. formation, capital evidence and the executives the MNB clears personally.Kft., capital, cleared executives.
03
The application file
Programme, safeguarding, AML and IT documentation in Hungarian. Complete before filing, because completeness is the timeline.Complete, in Hungarian, before filing.
04
MNB review
Three months from complete, question rounds answered in Hungarian - 9-15 months realistic end to end.3 months statutory; 9-15 realistic.
05
Authorisation and launch
The register entry, passport notifications and the reporting calendar. Live at 9%.Register, passports - at 9%.
Quick facts
RegulatorMNB
EMI capital€350,000 equivalent
StructureActivity + personal authorisations
Statutory review3 months from complete
Realistic timeline9-15 months
File languageHungarian
Corporate tax9%
PassportEU/EEA on notification
The MNB clears the institution and its people separately. Both files complete, in Hungarian, is the entire game. Our Budapest office exists for exactly this.
On the ground in Budapest
Licensed from the city we work in.
Prifinance - Hungary
Budapest · Korányi Sándor u. 4
Korányi Sándor u. 4, Budapest
01
Hungarian company formation
Kft. incorporation, capital placement and the corporate layer the MNB expects. Structured for the licence from day one.Kft. + capital, structured for the file.
02
The MNB file - in Hungarian
Programme of operations, safeguarding design, AML pack and IT documentation drafted natively with our Budapest team, and defended through the central bank's rounds.Drafted natively by our Budapest team.
03
Personal authorisations
Executive clearances prepared as their own workstream. CVs, records and interviews managed so the people pass as smoothly as the institution.People cleared as their own workstream.
04
Substance and staffing
Resident directors, compliance officer and MLRO from Budapest's financial talent pool. Assembled from our own office in the city.From our own office in the city.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of payment companies in Hungary.
The EU's lowest headline rate - 9%. With no corporate dividend withholding above it. The arithmetic most founders re-check twice.
Corporate tax 9%
The statutory rate on an EMI's fee and float income. The lowest in the European Union, with no special regime required to reach it.EU's lowest, no scheme needed.
No corporate dividend WHT
Dividends to foreign corporate shareholders leave Hungary without withholding. The 9% outcome survives into the holding layer. Individuals pay 15%.Clean path to the holding.
Local business tax ≤ 2%
Municipalities levy up to 2% on an adjusted revenue base, plus a 0.3% innovation contribution. The real all-in stays in the low teens.Municipal; low-teens all-in.
VAT-exempt payment services
Payment and e-money services are VAT-exempt financial services; the 27% standard rate touches only ordinary supplies.27% only on ordinary supplies.
Budapest payroll
Financial and engineering talent at Central European cost. The operating base matches the tax rate's logic.CEE cost, real talent.
Treaty network 80+
A deep treaty network across Europe and Asia. Group structures above the Hungarian entity model cleanly.Europe + Asia coverage.
Tax summary
Corporate tax9% - EU's lowest
Dividend WHT (companies)None
Dividend tax (individuals)15%
Local business tax≤ 2% · municipal
VAT on payment servicesExempt
Standard VAT27%
Tax treaties80+
*Figures as of 2026 per the NAV. Local business tax varies by municipality. We model the seat before you commit.
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 Kft., 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, authorised institution.
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Hungary · MNB
Launch your payment project in Hungary with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from Kft. registration to the MNB authorisation, passporting and ongoing compliance - from 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 Hungarian EMI licence: frequent questions.
What licence does an e-money business need in Hungary?+
An e-money institution authorisation from the MNB under Act CCXXXV of 2013 - capital equivalent to €350,000, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting. Payment-institution licences by service tier sit alongside.
Why is the tax rate the headline?+
Because 9% is the lowest corporate rate in the EU - statutory, not a scheme, and dividends to foreign companies leave without withholding. On an EMI's margin structure, the difference against a 25% desk compounds fast.
How long does licensing take?+
Three months from a complete file as the administrative window, with the MNB's question rounds in Hungarian. Realistic end-to-end: 9-15 months. Our Budapest office drafts natively, which is the main accelerator.
What are personal authorisations?+
The MNB clears the institution's executives individually - a parallel track of CVs, records and assessments. We manage it as its own workstream so the people never delay the institution.
What substance is expected?+
A Hungarian Kft. managed from Hungary, resident cleared executives, an AML officer reporting to the NAV FIU, real safeguarding arrangements and DORA-grade systems documentation.
How are payment companies taxed overall?+
9% corporate tax, local business tax up to 2%, a 0.3% innovation contribution, VAT-exempt payment services, and no withholding on corporate dividends. All-in outcomes typically land in the low teens.
Does the licence passport across the EU?+
Yes - the MNB authorisation notifies into every EU/EEA state. Groups serve the single market from Budapest while the profit lands at 9%.
Is the Hungarian-language file a real obstacle?+
It is the main one - the application, annexes and rounds run in Hungarian. It is also exactly why we keep our own Budapest office: we draft natively rather than translate.
What changes under PSD3?+
PSD3 and the PSR - provisionally agreed in November 2025 and close to formal adoption - fold e-money institutions into a unified payment-institution regime. Files we build now are structured to convert.
Why Hungary rather than Lithuania or Poland?+
Lithuania has CENTROlink; Poland has the MIP on-ramp and its own big market. Hungary has the rate - 9% with a clean dividend path - plus a central-bank stamp and our own office on the ground. For margin-driven models, the arithmetic usually decides.
What licence is needed?+
MNB EMI - €350k equivalent; PI tiers below.
Why Hungary?+
9% CIT, no corporate dividend WHT.
How long?+
3 months statutory; 9-15 realistic.
Hungarian file?+
Yes - our Budapest office drafts natively.
Personal authorisations?+
Executives cleared individually. Managed.
Substance?+
Resident officers, real Hungarian ops.
All-in tax?+
Low teens with local tax included.
Passport?+
EU/EEA on notification.
PSD3?+
Agreed Nov 2025 - files convert.
Vs Poland?+
Their market and MIP; Hungary's rate.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
“I had their assistance in company registration and I would recommend them. They were answering all my clarification during the process and offering all their supportThank you Daniel and Irinia”
Google
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Google
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Google
“Opening an account with Prifinance in a Swiss bank was such an easy and quick process that I was shocked. It all started with the first call, where I received detailed guidance on the required documents and the entire procedure.One of the key highlights was their attention to detail. As someone who usually gets tangled up in paperwork, I was pleasantly surprised when they sent me all the documents and…”
Google
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Boris.. and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. Boris went above and beyond to assist me with my residency needs. His professionalism, knowledge, and dedication truly stood out. I highly recommend working with Boris and the team!”
Google
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Get a free legal opinion on 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.Free legal opinion: which Hungarian route fits your project and what it will cost.
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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 Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.