Erste Group consolidates Erste Bank Polska and successfully rebrands in Poland

Erste Group Bank AG (“Erste Group”) reported a positive performance for the first quarter of 2026 in its first financial disclosure following the consolidation of Erste Bank Polska. With the first-time consolidation of Erste Bank Polska, Erste Group’s total assets increased to 450.0 billion euros by the end of the first quarter of 2026, driven in part by higher loan and deposit volumes. With its acquisition in Poland, Erste Group becomes the first banking group that ranks among the top banks both in Poland – one of Europe’s largest economies – as well as in its other key markets in Central Europe.

This positioning creates a banking group unique within Central Europe, serving 23 million customers and thus one in four of the approximately 100 million people living in its eight core markets. This scale is particularly significant against the backdrop of value chains that are increasingly regionalized on account of geopolitical uncertainties – this is especially true for Central Europe’s traditionally interconnected economies. For example, more than 2,100 Polish companies operate in other markets in which Erste Group is present, while more than 800 companies from the region are active in Poland.

“Our activities are focused on the region of Europe where the continent’s economic future is being shaped. Erste Group’s combination of both a strong presence in Poland and leading market positions across the rest of Central Europe is unique and gives us a particularly strategic strength in the European banking sector. We are exceptionally well-positioned to finance trade and investment in an environment in which value chains are becoming increasingly regional,” said Peter Bosek, CEO of Erste Group.

“The acquisition in Poland opens up new potential for us. The consolidation of Erste Bank Polska clearly demonstrates the additional scale we can achieve through our expanded footprint and deep local presence across the region. Our strong and sustainable capital base provides both security and flexibility, enabling us to execute the integration of our new Polish subsidiary with discipline and to continue developing our business for the benefit of our customers and shareholders,” added Stefan Dörfler, CFO of Erste Group.

Rebranding in Poland to “Erste Bank Polska” completed

Following its official name change to Erste Bank Polska S.A. on 24 April 2026, Erste Group’s Polish subsidiary was successfully rebranded to the “Erste” brand over this past weekend. As a result, the bank’s around six million customers now have access to 534 branches and other outlets, 1,367 ATMs, and 26 card products that show the new Erste logo and feature the new design.

Erste Group’s lead narrative, “Believe in yourself”, was also introduced on April 27 as part of a nationwide campaign spanning TV, online, radio, cinema, print, and out‑of‑home advertising.

Customer loans and deposits rise significantly with consolidation of Erste Bank Polska

Erste Group’s loan volume increased by 18.8% in the first quarter of 2026 to 275.6 billion euros (Dec. 2025: 232.0 billion euros). A substantial share of this growth stems from the first‑time consolidation of Erste Bank Polska’s loan portfolio (40.1 billion euros) at the Group level. The ongoing lending business in Erste Group’s previously existing markets also expanded by 1.5% since the beginning of the year, with particularly strong demand in the Czech Republic and Hungary. Overall, Erste Group remains on track to achieve its full‑year target of exceeding 285 billion euros in customer loans.

Deposit volumes also grew in the first three months. Deposits rose by 24.4% to 314.8 billion euros (Dec. 2025: 253.0 billion euros), driven in part by the initial inclusion of Erste Bank Polska’s customer deposits (53.8 billion euros). At the same time, Erste Group’s core deposit business continued to expand: even excluding Erste Bank Polska, customer deposits increased by 3.2% since the start of the year.

For further information, please see Investor Relations: https://www.erstegroup.com/en/investors/news/investorinformation.