Hetmantsev proposes to raise tax for banks to 50% in 2026

The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, has submitted to parliament a bill that provides for a temporary increase in the profit tax for banking institutions. The initiative concerns 2026 and proposes to increase the rate from the current 25% to 50%. In addition, the document proposes to prohibit banks from taking into account losses from previous years when calculating tax obligations.

According to Hetmantsev, the adoption of this decision will allow attracting an additional about UAH 30 billion to the state budget. These funds are planned to be directed to financing defense needs, which remain a priority in the conditions of the ongoing war. He emphasized that these are critically important revenues, without which the state will not be able to effectively plan spending on the security sector.

The politician recalled that during 2023–2024, the government decided to tax the so-called "excess profits" of banks at the end of the year. In 2025, according to previous agreements, the tax rate did not change, and banks pay it at the base level of 25%. Thus, the increase in 2026 will be temporary and aimed at overcoming the budget deficit associated with the war.

Hetmantsev also emphasized that the needs of the defense sector are growing every year, and the government is forced to look for additional sources of revenue. The preparation of the state budget for 2026, according to him, requires difficult decisions, and increasing the tax for banks is one of them. He noted that such an initiative will ensure the predictability of tax policy and will make it possible to plan the financing of key expenditure items.

At the same time, the document stipulates that this is a temporary solution that will apply only to one year. This approach should be a compromise between the need to maintain the stability of the financial system and the urgent needs of the state during wartime.