Cash from ATMs in Poland Just Got Harder

24 March 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

ATM withdrawals in Poland face higher fees and lower BLIK limits after Visa, Mastercard, and major ATM operators changed terms.

It happened. ATM withdrawals in Poland have just become much harder and more expensive. Consequently, three major moves in February and March 2026 will reshape how people access cash.

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Why the change matters for cash access

Visa and Mastercard raised the fees banks pay per withdrawal. Moreover, both networks switched to a hybrid model. Therefore banks now pay a fixed fee plus a percentage of the withdrawn sum. As a result, interchange costs rose sharply. Experts estimate the sector will face 100-150 million zł extra yearly. Furthermore, banks rarely absorb new costs. Thus customers will likely see changes in tariffs and free-withdrawal rules.

ATM withdrawals in Poland: concrete effects

From 1 February 2026 Mastercard set 1.20 zł plus 0.18% of the amount. In addition, Visa moved to 1.20 zł plus 0.17%. Consequently, a 1,000 zł withdrawal now costs around 2.90-3.00 zł to the bank. Previously fees stood near 1.20-1.70 zł. Therefore the unit cost doubled or more. Moreover, small banks and fintechs will struggle most. Bigger banks like PKO BP or Pekao can cushion the blow. However independent ATM operators react too.

Euronet and Planet Cash change BLIK limits

Euronet cut the single BLIK cash withdrawal limit from 800 zł to 200 zł on 19 February. In contrast, card withdrawals from those machines still allow 800-1,000 zł. However BLIK now looks less convenient at Euronet. Planet Cash will begin using variable BLIK limits by location from 2 March. Therefore withdrawal amounts will vary between individual ATMs. Moreover Euronet operates about 7,646 ATMs. Consequently many towns rely on Euronet as the only nearby machine.

In addition, BLIK has exploded in use. In 2025 users made 2.9 billion BLIK transactions. However BLIK did not raise its payout to operators. Thus operators prefer card transactions now. As a result phones became less useful at the ATM for larger cash needs.

What banks may do and who pays

Banks may limit the number of free withdrawals. Furthermore they may increase minimum amounts for free cash. For example, mBank charges for withdrawals below 300 zł at other networks. Therefore a 200 zł BLIK withdrawal at Euronet may trigger a fee. In addition, some banks already updated account tariffs in early 2026. Consequently customers should expect more announcements soon.

Smaller towns face extra pain. Moreover independent operators may close unprofitable machines. Thus the ATM network will likely shrink faster. In contrast, Poland still maintains a dense ATM map compared with some EU peers. However years of low interchange fees effectively subsidised growth. Now the market corrects itself.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you live in Poland, check your bank’s fee table and the free-ATM list in its app. Use your physical debit card if you need larger cash, because card withdrawals keep higher limits than BLIK at many machines. Also consider shop cash-back (available in thousands of Żabka and Dino stores) to avoid multiple small ATM withdrawals. Note: ZUS means social security, NFZ is the national health fund, a “mandat” is a police fine, and PESEL is a national ID number.

Finally, monitor your bank’s terms and local ATM signage. Consequently plan larger withdrawals in one go. Moreover use bank apps to find free machines. Therefore you can limit new fees and hassles.

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