Is DEGIRO available in Hungary (Magyarország)? Alternatives for 2026

In 2014, DEGIRO expanded its online trading platform across several European countries outside the Netherlands, its country of origin. Since then it has grown steadily, and its parent company flatexDEGIRO now counts about 3.5 million customer accounts. Hungary is not among the countries it serves.

Want to know why DEGIRO left Hungary, whether it is coming back, and which alternatives Hungarian investors can use? We’ve got you covered.

Is DEGIRO available in Hungary?

No. DEGIRO is not available in Hungary (Magyarország).

In 2022, DEGIRO withdrew from the Hungarian market, together with Norway, closing around 6,000 accounts across the two countries, according to flatexDEGIRO’s 2022 results.

Several years on, there has been no announcement of a return, and DEGIRO continues not to onboard Hungarian residents. Hungary is still missing from the list of countries on DEGIRO’s website.

There is one silver lining for Hungarian investors, and it is a significant one: DEGIRO never offered a TBSZ account, the Hungarian long-term investment account that can reduce tax on your gains to zero after five years. Two of the alternatives below do, which means the replacement can be more tax-efficient than what was lost.

Before you choose: the TBSZ account

For a Hungarian long-term investor, the TBSZ (tartós befektetési számla) is usually worth more than any difference in commissions between brokers.

You commit to leaving the money invested, and the tax on your gains falls with time:

• You pay money in during the collection year, after which that particular TBSZ takes no further deposits.
• Hold for three full years and the personal income tax on gains falls from 15% to 10%.
• Hold for five full years and the gains become tax-free.
• Withdraw earlier and the normal tax treatment applies instead.

For accounts opened or renewed from 2025, the social contribution tax (szocho) also applies to TBSZ gains, according to the Hungarian tax authority (NAV). It falls with time in the same way:

For example, if a 1,000,000 HUF investment grows by 400,000 HUF, you would pay 112,000 HUF in tax on the gain if you withdrew within three years (28%), 72,000 HUF after three years (18%) and nothing after five years.

You can open a new TBSZ each year, which is how investors build a ladder of accounts maturing in successive years.

Among the alternatives below, Lightyear and Interactive Brokers offer TBSZ accounts, both with a minimum deposit of 25,000 HUF. Lightyear’s TBSZ is free, while Interactive Brokers charges a monthly fee unless your commissions exceed 2,000 HUF that month. Rules change, so confirm the current position with NAV or an adviser before committing.

DEGIRO alternatives in Hungary

All these alternatives are regulated by top-tier regulators: eToro by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Interactive Brokers by the Central Bank of Ireland and Lightyear by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA).

Interest on forint: how Lightyear and IBKR compare

Both Lightyear and Interactive Brokers let you earn interest on cash you have not invested, and the structures are different enough to matter.

The headline rates make IBKR look better on forint, but the threshold changes the picture. Interactive Brokers pays nothing on the first 3,500,000 HUF, so on a balance of 4,000,000 HUF only 500,000 earns the 2.508%, giving an effective rate of around 0.31%. Lightyear’s 1.75% applies from the first forint.

For most retail investors, Lightyear pays more on forint in practice. IBKR becomes the better option once your cash balance is well above the threshold.

One distinction worth understanding on both: this interest is generated through money market funds, not bank deposits. Lightyear’s are backed by BlackRock. That means no deposit guarantee applies and your capital is at risk. These funds invest in short-dated government and bank instruments.

Founded in 2007, eToro has grown into one of the most widely used and beginner-friendly trading platforms globally. It went public on the Nasdaq in May 2025 under the ticker ETOR. It is best known for pioneering social trading through its CopyTrader feature, which lets you follow and automatically copy the trades of other investors.

For European investors, eToro is a compelling option, particularly for those new to investing or interested in global markets, cryptocurrencies or copying other traders. The app supports stocks, ETFs and CFDs across global markets, and has built a loyal following in Europe for its simple interface and low commissions.

Its main strength is zero commission on real ETFs, a cost-effective way to build a diversified portfolio. It is no longer entirely commission-free, though: stock trades cost $1 or $2 depending on the exchange, with Australia, Hong Kong, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo priced separately from the other markets.

Two things matter specifically for a Hungarian investor. There is no forint account: your account is held in US dollars (EU clients can also open a euro account), so forint deposits are converted, with a 1% conversion fee on bank transfers, and eToro does not offer a TBSZ account, which is a meaningful disadvantage if you are investing for the long term.

In Europe, eToro operates under a CySEC licence, in compliance with MiFID II, with investor compensation available up to €20,000 through the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund.

Founded in 1978 and publicly listed on the Nasdaq (ticker: IBKR), Interactive Brokers is a global online broker that came through major financial crises, showing resilience and a rigorous risk management process. It also offers TBSZ accounts to Hungarian tax residents through Interactive Brokers Ireland, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Interactive Brokers offers an advanced platform with a wide product range (stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, bonds and currencies) across 175 markets, solid execution through IB SmartRouting, and a full set of technical and fundamental tools.

Beginners have educational material available, but the learning curve is steep, which is why we mainly endorse it to more experienced investors. Customer service gives clear answers when you need them.

On the downside, the fee structure is complex, registration is lengthy though fully online, and the broker is not commission-free. However, once you count FX fees, tighter spreads and the stock lending programme, IBKR clients typically save compared with most brokers. For an investor converting forint, the currency conversion cost is the number worth comparing.

On uninvested forint, IBKR pays 2.508% on an IBKR Pro account and 1.508% on IBKR Lite, but only on balances above 3,500,000 HUF. Below that threshold the rate is zero, which is worth knowing before you count on it.

Interactive Brokers also offers IBKR GlobalTrader, a modern mobile trading app for stocks, options and ETFs, ideal for beginner investors, with automatic currency conversion, fractional shares and a demo account.

Want to know more? Check our Interactive Brokers review.

Lightyear is a European investment app operating through Lightyear Europe AS, authorised and regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA, licence number 4.1-1/31), with client assets covered up to €20,000.

There are no Lightyear execution fees on ETFs. For stocks, commissions do not exceed €/$/£1 per order, and currency conversion is a flat 0.35%, which you can reduce by holding balances in its multi-currency account. Cryptocurrency trades cost 0.45% (available in the General Account, not in the TBSZ).

Through money market funds backed by BlackRock, Lightyear offers 1.75% APY on forint and 3.90% APY on dollars, with no minimum balance. Note that this interest applies to the General Account: Lightyear doesn’t pay interest on cash held in the TBSZ, but you can invest in money market funds inside it, and moving money out of them doesn’t count as a TBSZ withdrawal.

The feature that makes Lightyear stand out in Hungary is its free long-term investment account, the Tartós Befektetési Számla (TBSZ). It carries 0% tax on investment returns after five years, or 10% personal income tax (plus 8% social contribution tax on accounts opened from 2025) after three, with a minimum deposit of 25,000 HUF. Withdrawals are possible at any time, but they break the tax benefit.

Sign up with the promo code INVESTINGINTHEWEBFX, open a TBSZ account and convert up to 1,000,000 HUF free of FX fees. Terms and conditions apply.

The platform suits beginners and intermediate investors, with fractional shares and more than 6,000 stocks, funds and bonds. On the downside, the product range is limited, with no options, commodities or forex, and there is no demo account.

Still have doubts? Go through our Lightyear review.

Which platform should you choose?

Whether you invest through eToro, Interactive Brokers, Lightyear or another platform, take the time to compare them before opening an account.

For a Hungarian investor, three things usually settle it:

• Whether the broker offers a TBSZ: if you are investing for the long term, the tax saving after five years outweighs almost any difference in commissions.
• The cost of converting forint: everything you buy will be priced in another currency, so this applies to every contribution you make.
• The product range: check that what you want to buy is actually available before you commit.

For a wider set of options, see our guide to the best brokers in Hungary.

The best broker in your specific case depends on your profile, preferences and objectives. Explore the websites above and decide for yourself.

A reminder that the above should not be construed as investment or tax advice and should be considered information only. Investors should do their own research and due diligence about the services best suited to their circumstances.