XTB’s new tax lot selection feature in Poland lets investors choose which stock or ETF lots to sell, reshaping capital gains planning and broker competition.
Tax Management Becomes a New Competitive Variable for Polish Brokers
On May 29, 2026, XTB launched a single-position management feature in Poland. On the surface, it was a trading operation update, but in substance, it moved broker competition into the area of tax management. When investors sell stocks orETFs, they no longer have to rely only on automaticFIFOmatching and can instead select specific position lots.
The impact of this feature does not lie in changing the tax rate, but in changing the timing of when investors recognize gains. Personal capital gains in Poland are usually subject to a 19% tax rate. If the same stock or ETF is bought in multiple batches at different price levels, the choice of which lot to sell will directly affect the cost basis and the realized gain for the current period.
From an industry perspective, XTB has brought a function that was originally more back-office and tax-record oriented into the investor operation layer, moving the platform further from a simple trading gateway toward an account management tool. SII described this in its June 2, 2026 report as a new direction in the competition among Polish brokers for clients.
From Trading Convenience to Tax Convenience
Low commissions and mobile experience were once the main methods retail brokers used to attract new clients.
The tax lot selection feature is closer to existing client management, especially affecting investors who buy and sell in multiple batches.
This feature brings the relationship between trading records, cost basis and tax reporting to the front end.
For long-term investors who rarely sell, the feature may feel less visible. For active investors, it provides greater operational flexibility.
The 19% Capital Gains Tax Increases the Value of the Feature
Poland’s capital gains tax is often called the “Belka tax” and applies to capital income from securities, funds, deposit interest and other sources. Since the tax rate is usually 19%, how investors determine the cost basis when selling assets becomes an important variable in calculating the actual tax burden.
Under the FIFO model, the earliest purchased holdings are treated as the first sold. If market prices have risen over a long period, earlier low-cost holdings are recorded as sold first, resulting in higher book gains. After manual lot selection becomes available, investors can choose to sell higher-cost lots first, or keep lower-cost holdings for later years.
Still More Restrained Than Tools in Overseas Markets
Tax lot management is not uncommon in mature brokerage markets. International platforms such as Interactive Brokers have long offered tax lot tools, and some markets also supportLIFO,HICOor manual lot specification. In the U.S. market, investors may identify specific lots sold under certain conditions.
However, not all markets allow similar arrangements. Germany places greater emphasis on FIFO treatment under its unified withholding tax system, while the U.K. restricts short-term tax arrangements through share pooling and 30-day matching rules. Poland was previously closer to an automatic FIFO operating environment, so XTB’s change is more visible in the local market.
| Observation Area | 2026 Information | Potential Impact | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax treatment | Poland’s capital gains tax is usually 19% | Sell-lot selection affects cost basis and realized gains | Whether annual tax statements match investor filing records |
| Client structure | KDPWdata shows that XTB had 1,039,514 Polish accounts in April 2026 | A large domestic account base helps the new feature quickly reach clients | Usage rate among active investors and how quickly competitors respond |
| Platform positioning | XTB continues to expand services related to stocks, ETFs, options and spot cryptocurrencies | The platform is shifting from a trade execution tool to an integrated investment app | The balance between product expansion and regulatory requirements |
| Regulatory environment | The Polish market remains regulated by institutions such as theKNF | Tax convenience features need to be promoted alongside compliance disclosure and client education | Whether feature explanations avoid being interpreted as tax promises |
Account Scale Gives the Feature Conditions for Market Diffusion
In a Polish market announcement released on May 12, 2026, XTB said it had exceeded 1 million Polish brokerage accounts and cited KDPW data showing that its share of Poland’s brokerage account market was about 37%. KDPW data compiled by SII also showed that XTB had 1,039,514 accounts in April 2026, an increase of 47,723 from the previous month and 547,809 over the past 12 months.
This account base means the tax lot feature is not just a small-scale test, but a standardized platform function that may affect a large number of retail investors. Compared with marketing campaigns, this type of feature relies more on coordination among the trading system, position records and tax statements.
Product Expansion and Marketing Investment Advance Together
XTB continued to expand its client base in 2025. The company’s disclosed preliminary results for 2025 showed that it added more than 864,000 new clients during the year, bringing total clients to more than 2.16 million. Finance Magnates’ report on 2025 results also noted that the company’s marketing spending rose to approximately PLN 584.9 million in 2025, a significant increase from the previous year.
In the first quarter of 2026, XTB also disclosed quarterly results of approximately PLN 535 million in net profit and approximately PLN 1.09 billion in operating revenue. The launch timing of the new feature comes as the company is strengthening client growth, product line expansion and brand investment at the same time.
Implications for Investors and the Industry
For active investors, single-position management increases flexibility in post-trade handling. Investors can choose between different purchase lots, allowing them to arrange realized gains more precisely. However, this feature is not equivalent to tax exemption and does not change trading risk itself.
For the brokerage industry, XTB’s move to turn tax-related experience into a product selling point may force other Polish domestic brokers to reassess their own system capabilities. SII mentioned in its June 2, 2026 report that it had asked other brokers whether they would launch similar mechanisms, indicating that industry comparison has already begun.
Three Boundaries Still Need Attention
The feature only addresses position lot management within a single XTB account and cannot automatically consolidate data from other broker accounts.
The feature affects the way tax records are handled, but it does not mean the platform guarantees the investor’s final tax outcome.
Investors still need to pay attention to annual tax documents, trade confirmation records and local filing requirements.
"This time, XTB has once again introduced an innovation in the Polish market."
Questions About Polish Broker Competition
Why does the tax lot feature affect broker competition?
Because this feature is directly related to investors’ sell records, cost basis and tax document management. It is a deeper account service capability than the trading interface itself.
Which investors are more affected by this feature?
Investors who buy multiple times, sell in batches and frequently adjust positions are more affected. Long-term investors who rarely sell may feel the impact less.
How does XTB’s feature differ from overseas tax lot tools?
XTB currently mainly offers manual selection and FIFO, while some international platforms provide more algorithmic processing options such as LIFO and HICO.
Have other Polish brokers already launched similar features?
As of SII’s report on June 2, 2026, XTB claimed to be the first broker in Poland to offer this feature. Whether other institutions will follow still needs to be observed.
