PKO BP outage disrupts online banking — bank apologises

26 February 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

A widespread PKO BP outage left many customers unable to access online and mobile banking services; the bank apologised as users reported missed transfers and disrupted payments.

A major PKO BP outage has left customers of PKO Bank Polski unable to access parts of the bank’s electronic services, the lender confirmed in an official statement. Problems affect the iPKO web portals, iPKO Business, Inteligo and the mobile app IKO, meaning some clients are currently unable to log in or authorise transactions.

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What happened — the scope of the disruption

The bank’s brief notice said users may experience difficulties using the iPKO and iPKO Biznes online services, Inteligo and the IKO mobile application. That covers both retail and many business customers: iPKO and IKO are PKO’s primary channels for balance checks, transfers, payments, scheduled transfers and authentication via mobile authorisation. The outage is described as technical; the bank has apologised and said it is working to restore normal service.

Who is affected and why this matters for expats

Because PKO Bank Polski is Poland’s largest bank by assets and customer numbers, an outage at this scale can affect a wide cross-section of residents — including expats who rely on online banking for salary payments, rent, bill payments, and local transfers. For many foreign residents, Polish banking relies heavily on mobile apps and online portals rather than branch visits; if these services are unavailable, direct debits or scheduled payments might fail, two-factor authentication (2FA) for other services can be delayed, and urgent transfers may be impossible.

Practical steps to take now

If you are affected, first do not panic: check whether your incoming salary has been credited (employers may still pay into accounts even if online access is down). Try the following: use an ATM or a physical branch to withdraw cash, use card contactless payments where possible, call the bank’s customer line for guidance, and keep records of any failed or delayed transactions. If a payment has been missed because you couldn’t access online services, note the circumstances and consider contacting the payee (landlord, utility) to explain the situation and avoid penalties. Monitor the bank’s official channels for status updates and avoid sharing SMS codes or passwords with anyone claiming to help.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: PKO Bank Polski is Poland’s largest retail bank; iPKO and IKO are its main online and mobile banking channels, while Inteligo is a separate internet bank brand owned by the same group. If you experience financial loss or missed payments due to a bank outage, first file a formal complaint (“reklamacja”) with the bank — keep screenshots, timestamps and any receipts. If the bank’s response is unsatisfactory, you may escalate to the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) or contact the Rzecznik Finansowy (Financial Ombudsman), both of which can advise on consumer rights and possible compensation. Practical tips: keep a backup payment method (a second card or small cash fund), inform your landlord or utility if a direct debit fails, and never share one-time passwords (OTP) with third parties even if they claim to be bank staff.

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