Spanish banking giant Santander reported a record consolidated net profit of €7.33 billion for the first half of 2026, marking a 15% increase year-on-year. The result was boosted by the sale of its Polish operations, pushing total profit including capital gains to €8.97 billion – a 31% jump compared to the same period last year.
In April 2026, Santander finalised the sale of a majority stake in Santander Bank Polska and its TFI assets to Austria’s Erste Bank Group for approximately €7 billion, equivalent to PLN 30 billion. The transaction was part of a broader restructuring of the group’s global portfolio.
Despite exiting the retail banking segment in Poland, Santander remains present in the country through Santander Consumer Bank, which will soon be rebranded as Openbank by Santander. The Spanish lender plans to continue developing consumer credit products on the Polish market under this new name.
Record profits and strategic shift
Santander currently serves around 182 million clients worldwide, with core markets in Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and several Latin American countries. The group’s first-half revenue reached €30.8 billion, underscoring robust operational performance across its main geographies.
The bank attributes part of its improved outlook to anticipated interest rate hikes in the eurozone. Management forecasts that higher rates will lift annual net profit to above €15 billion, with a target of exceeding €20 billion by 2028.
Global expansion plans
Under its current strategy, Santander is focusing expansion on two key markets: the United Kingdom and the United States. In early 2026, the group completed the acquisition of Webster Bank, based in Stamford, Connecticut, for €10 billion, strengthening its position in the U.S. retail and commercial banking sector.
The group’s decision to offload Polish assets while doubling down on Anglo-American markets reflects a deliberate pivot toward higher-growth, higher-margin regions. The Polish sale also provided a significant one-off capital injection, which will be reinvested in these priority markets.
Santander’s management has signalled that further bolt-on acquisitions in the UK and US cannot be ruled out, as the bank seeks to scale up its presence and compete more effectively with local players.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Shutterstock
