Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 17, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe Polish financial regulator approved Erste Group's acquisition of a 49% stake in Santander Bank Polska, marking a major cross-border deal in Europe.
WARSAW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Polish financial regulator (KNF) has given a green light to Erste Group Bank AG’s purchase of a controlling stake in Santander Bank Polska, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
Spain's Santander, the bank's parent company, agreed to sell a 49% stake in its Polish unit to Erste Group for 6.8 billion euros ($7.99 billion), in one of the biggest cross-border deals in Europe in recent years.
"KNF took into account the financial strength of the investor, its previous experience in investing in the financial sector and the investor’s commitments," the regulator said in a statement.
Santander Bank Polska is the country's third-largest bank by assets and also one of the most profitable in Poland, where interest rates have been higher than in the euro zone.
In the third quarter, the Polish bank reported better-than-expected net profit, helped by growth in net interest income and net fee and commission income.
Net profit came in at 1.89 billion zlotys ($526.40 million), while analysts expected 1.83 billion zlotys.
($1 = 0.8514 euros)
($1 = 3.5904 zlotys)
(Reporting by Anna Koper; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
An investment is an asset or item acquired with the goal of generating income or appreciation. Investments can include stocks, bonds, real estate, and other financial instruments.
A controlling stake refers to owning enough shares in a company to influence its decisions and operations, typically more than 50% of the voting shares.
Net profit is the amount of money a company earns after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been subtracted from total revenue. It indicates the profitability of a business.
Cross-border investment involves investing in assets or companies located in a different country. It allows investors to diversify their portfolios and access new markets.
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