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 KNF decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an EMI license in Poland.
Central Europe's biggest prize: 38 million consumers, a KNF licence under the Payment Services Act with a three-month statutory clock, and a registration-based small-payment-institution on-ramp that starts revenue while the full file is in review.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Poland in brief
The largest market in Central Europe - with an on-ramp.
Poland licenses payment businesses through the KNF under the Act of 19 August 2011 on Payment Services: the national e-money institution (KIPE) at €350,000 initial capital, the national payment institution (KIP) at €20,000-€125,000 by service, which may itself issue e-money with adequate own funds - and, underneath both, the small payment institution (MIP): a registration-based route, Poland-only and volume-capped by statute, that starts supervised operations while the full licence is still in review. The statutory decision clock is three months from a complete application, with a two-stage review - formal completeness (deficiencies cured on at least seven days' notice), then substantive rounds, and authorised firms enter the KNF's public register of payment service providers.
The prize is the market itself: 38 million consumers in the EU's sixth-largest economy, a domestic payments culture among Europe's most advanced, and operating costs well below Western hubs. The real caveats: the file runs in Polish, and the three-month clock stops whenever the KNF asks for supplements - realistic end-to-end timelines run 9-15 months for a KIPE. That is exactly why the MIP on-ramp matters, and why our Prague-based Central Europe desk drafts Polish files with local counsel rather than translating afterwards.
KNF licensing under the Payment Services Act: KIPE at €350,000, KIP at €20k-€125k (e-money with adequate own funds), 3-month statutory clock, public register.
Underneath: the MIP - registration-based, Poland-only, volume-capped - revenue while the full file is in review. The market: 38 million consumers.
The three routes
KIPE, KIP - or the MIP on-ramp.
One Act, three entries: the full e-money institution, the payment institution with an e-money option, and the registration-based small payment institution that starts revenue first. We fix the route, then build once.
KIPE, KIP - or the registration-based MIP that starts revenue first.
01 - KIPE · E-MONEY INSTITUTION
National e-money institution
The flagship KNF authorisation: e-money issuance plus the full payment-services list, €350,000 initial capital, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting from Central Europe's largest market.
The flagship KNF authorisation: e-money issuance plus the full payment-services list, €350,000 initial capital, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting from Central Europe's largest market.
- ✓E-money issuance and distribution
- ✓Full PSD2 payment-services list
- ✓€350,000 initial capital · own funds ongoing
- ✓Safeguarding of client funds
- ✓EU/EEA passport on notification
- ✓3-month statutory clock · public register
02 - KIP · MIP ROUTES
MIP - revenue before the licenceThe on-ramp routes
The KIP runs €20,000-€125,000 by service and can add e-money issuance with adequate own funds; the MIP is registration-based, Poland-only and volume-capped. Supervised revenue in weeks, not years.
KIP €20k-€125k with an e-money option; MIP registration, Poland-only, volume-capped; upgrade path.
- ✓KIP - €20k / €50k / €125k by service
- ✓KIP may issue e-money · own-funds gated
- ✓MIP - registration, not authorisation
- ✓MIP - Poland-only, statutory volume cap
- ✓Upgrade path MIP → KIP → KIPE
- ✓Same KNF register and supervision
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. KNF fees follow the statutory schedule; capital, safeguarding and substance costs are itemised in your quote.
Why Poland
The market is the argument.
The framework is EMD2/PSD2 under the KNF. Attached to the largest consumer market between Germany and Russia.
✓
38 million consumers
The EU's sixth-largest economy and Central Europe's deepest domestic payments pool. A licence here is distribution, not just regulation.Distribution, not just regulation.
✓
A statutory clock in the law
Three months from a complete application, in the Act itself. With a formal completeness stage and codified cure periods. The process has rules, not moods.3 months, codified stages.
✓
The MIP on-ramp
Registration instead of authorisation, Poland-only, volume-capped. A supervised business generating revenue while the KIPE file is still in review. Few EU desks offer anything comparable.Registered revenue in weeks.
✓
An advanced payments culture
Poland's domestic payments infrastructure is among Europe's most modern. Instant transfers, mobile-first consumers and merchants used to non-bank providers.Instant, mobile-first, non-bank-friendly.
✓
Costs that respect runway
Warsaw and Kraków engineering and compliance talent price far below Western hubs. With a 9% corporate rate for small companies while you scale.9% small-company rate while scaling.
✓
PSD3-ready files
With PSD3/PSR close to adoption, e-money folds into the unified payment-institution regime. We structure Polish files to convert rather than be rebuilt.Built to convert, not rebuild.
How it compares
How Poland differs from other routes.
Poland trades an English-language process for market size and an on-ramp. The side-by-side comparison is below.
Poland vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Poland | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | Payment Services Act - KNF | Same directives, other desks |
| Home market | 38M consumers | Mostly passport-dependent |
| Startup route | MIP - registration-based | Rare or absent |
| File language | Polish | Usually English |
Regulatory regime
PolandPayment Services Act - KNF
Other jurisdictionsSame directives, other desks
Home market
Poland38M consumers
Other jurisdictionsMostly passport-dependent
Startup route
PolandMIP - registration-based
Other jurisdictionsRare or absent
File language
PolandPolish
Other jurisdictionsUsually English
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | KIPE / KIP (KNF) | 19% CIT · small 9% | Polish file, MIP on-ramp |
 Lithuania | EMI (Bank of Lithuania) | 17% CIT (2026) | CENTROlink, specialised desk |
 Germany | EMI (BaFin) | ~30-33% effective | German file, dual supervision |
 Czech Republic | PI/EMI (CNB) | 21% CIT | Solid desk, smaller market |
PolandLicense typeKIPE / KIP (KNF)
Taxation19% CIT · small 9%
RequirementsPolish file, MIP on-ramp
LithuaniaLicense typeEMI (Bank of Lithuania)
Taxation17% CIT (2026)
RequirementsCENTROlink, specialised desk
GermanyLicense typeEMI (BaFin)
Taxation~30-33% effective
RequirementsGerman file, dual supervision
Czech RepublicLicense typePI/EMI (CNB)
Taxation21% CIT
RequirementsSolid desk, smaller market
Before you apply
Requirements for the KNF authorisation.Requirements for the authorisation.
The Act publishes the process. Formal completeness first, substance second. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Polish entity. A sp. z o.o. or S.A. with its head office in Poland.
02
Initial capital - €350,000 for the KIPE, evidenced and paid in; €20,000-€125,000 for KIP tiers.
03
Fit and proper management and holders. Competence, clean records and ownership transparent to UBOs.
04
Programme of operations. Services, volumes, three-year financials and unit economics the KNF can interrogate.
05
Safeguarding. Segregated client-fund accounts or insurance, with documented reconciliation.
06
AML/CFT framework. KYC, monitoring and GIIF reporting per the 2018 AML Act, with a resident officer.
07
IT and security documentation. Architecture, DORA-grade resilience and incident procedures.
08
Internal governance. Control functions, outsourcing register and conflicts procedures.
09
Own-funds methodology. The ongoing capital calculation, modelled forward.
10
Polish-language file. The application and annexes drafted and defended in Polish.
11
Signature formalities. The application signed by authorised representatives, with completeness deficiencies cured within the KNF's notice periods.
01
Polish sp. z o.o., managed locally.
02
€350,000 capital (KIPE).
03
Fit & proper holders to UBOs.
04
Interrogable programme of operations.
05
Safeguarding with reconciliation.
06
AML with resident officer (GIIF).
07
DORA-grade IT documentation.
08
Governance and outsourcing register.
09
Own-funds method modelled forward.
10
Full file in Polish.
Reflects the Act of 19 August 2011 on Payment Services, the 2018 AML Act and KNF licensing practice as of 2026.Payment Services Act 2011 + AML Act 2018, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the KNF register.
01
Route and strategy
KIPE, KIP or MIP-first. We fix the route, capital and timeline in writing before any drafting.KIPE, KIP or MIP-first - in writing.
02
Polish company and people
Sp. z o.o. formation, capital evidence and the resident officers the KNF vets.Sp. z o.o., capital, resident officers.
03
The application file
Programme, safeguarding, AML and IT documentation in Polish. Complete before filing, because the clock only runs on a complete file.Complete, in Polish, before filing.
04
KNF review
Formal completeness, then substantive rounds. Three months statutory, 9-15 months realistic for a KIPE.Formal, then substantive; 9-15 realistic.
05
Authorisation and launch
The register entry, passport notifications and the reporting calendar. Live in Central Europe's largest market.Register, passports, reporting.
Quick facts
RegulatorKNF
KIPE capital€350,000
KIP tiers€20k / €50k / €125k
MIPRegistration · PL-only
Statutory review3 months from complete
Realistic timeline9-15 months
File languagePolish
PassportEU/EEA on notification
The three-month clock runs only on a complete file, and pauses for every supplement. Arriving complete is the entire game, and our job.
On the ground in Poland
Run from our Warsaw office.
Prifinance - Poland
Warsaw · Poland
Warsaw, Poland
01
Polish company formation
Sp. z o.o. incorporation, capital placement and the corporate layer the KNF expects. Structured for the licence from day one.Sp. z o.o. + capital, structured for the file.
02
The KNF file - in Polish
Programme of operations, safeguarding design, AML pack and IT documentation drafted with Polish counsel, natively, and defended through the formal and substantive stages.Drafted natively with local counsel.
03
MIP first, KIPE second
Where the model allows, the MIP registration filed early. Supervised revenue and track record building while the full authorisation is in review.Revenue during the review.
04
Substance and staffing
Resident officers and compliance hiring from Warsaw's and Kraków's deep talent pools. Real substance at Central European cost.Warsaw/Kraków talent, CE costs.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of payment companies in Poland.
Standard Central European numbers with one gift for startups: 9% corporate tax while revenue stays small, 19% at scale, and VAT-exempt payment services throughout.
Corporate tax 19% · 9%
The standard 19% rate drops to 9% for small taxpayers (revenue up to €2 million). An on-ramp rate that matches the MIP on-ramp licence.9% under €2M revenue. The ramp rate.
VAT-exempt payment services
Payment and e-money services are VAT-exempt financial services; the 23% standard rate touches only ordinary supplies.23% only on ordinary supplies.
Dividends 19%
19% withholding on outbound dividends, reduced by treaties and eliminated intra-EU under the Parent-Subsidiary Directive for qualifying holdings.Treaty and EU-directive relief.
A literate administration
Poland's tax authority has processed payment-sector models for years. Safeguarded funds, float and interchange have established treatment.Float and interchange - settled.
Payroll that scales
Warsaw and Kraków compliance and engineering salaries run well below Western hubs. The operating base prices like the on-ramp it is.Hub talent below hub prices.
Founder-level notes
Personal rates run 12/32% with a 4% solidarity levy above PLN 1 million. Founder outcomes are modelled alongside the corporate plan.12/32% + 4% levy over PLN 1M.
Tax summary
Corporate tax19% · small 9%
Small-taxpayer ceiling€2M revenue
VAT on payment servicesExempt
Standard VAT23%
Dividend withholding19% · treaty/EU relief
Solidarity levy4% over PLN 1M (personal)
Tax treaties80+
*Figures as of 2026. The 9% small-taxpayer rate and the MIP route pair naturally. We model the ramp 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: Polish sp. z o.o., 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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Poland · KNF
Launch your payment project in Poland with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from company registration to the KNF authorisation, the MIP on-ramp and ongoing compliance.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Poland 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 Polish payment licences: frequent questions.
What licence does an e-money business need in Poland?+
A national e-money institution (KIPE) authorisation from the KNF under the Payment Services Act - €350,000 initial capital, safeguarding and EU/EEA passporting. A national payment institution (KIP, €20,000-€125,000) can itself issue e-money with adequate own funds.
What is the MIP and who fits it?+
The small payment institution - a registration-based route, Poland-only and volume-capped by statute. It starts supervised operations in weeks, builds revenue and track record, then upgrades to a KIP or KIPE. For most startups it is the correct first move.
How long does licensing take?+
The Act gives the KNF three months from a complete application - with a formal completeness stage first and the clock pausing for supplements. Realistic end-to-end for a KIPE: 9-15 months. The MIP registration runs far faster.
What does it cost?+
KNF fees follow the statutory schedule; the real investment is capital (€350,000 KIPE), substance and the file - all itemised in your quote before we start.
Is the application really in Polish?+
Yes - the file, annexes and question rounds run in Polish. We draft with Polish counsel natively rather than translating afterwards; it is one of the main reasons founders bring us the mandate.
What substance is expected?+
A Polish sp. z o.o. managed locally, resident compliance and AML officers reporting to the GIIF, real safeguarding arrangements and DORA-grade systems documentation.
How are payment companies taxed?+
19% corporate tax - 9% while revenue stays under €2 million - with VAT-exempt payment services and 19% dividend withholding reduced by treaties and EU directives. The 9% rate pairs naturally with the MIP ramp.
Does the licence passport across the EU?+
The KIPE and KIP passport to every EU/EEA state on notification. The MIP does not - it is Poland-only by design, which is why it is the on-ramp and not the destination.
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 Poland rather than Lithuania?+
Lithuania sells the specialised desk and CENTROlink; Poland sells its own 38-million-consumer market plus the MIP on-ramp. Models that need Polish distribution - consumer finance, marketplace payouts, domestic acquiring - belong here; pure pan-EU plays often still pick Vilnius. We sequence both when the model justifies it.
What licence is needed?+
KNF KIPE - €350k; KIP €20k-€125k.
The MIP?+
Registration, PL-only, volume-capped. Start here.
How long?+
3 months statutory; 9-15 realistic.
Cost?+
Statutory fees; capital is the investment.
Polish file?+
Yes - drafted natively with counsel.
Substance?+
Resident officers, real Polish ops.
Taxes?+
19%/9% CIT; VAT-exempt services.
Passport?+
KIPE/KIP yes; MIP is PL-only.
PSD3?+
Agreed Nov 2025 - files convert.
Vs Lithuania?+
Their desk; your market. Model decides.
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
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Google
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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 Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.