Abstract:

The article aims to determine the characteristic features of the development of Polish banking since the 1990s. through the prism of implemented innovations and their development. The study was conducted using both historiographic and factographic methods, as well as desk research. The fast pace of development of Polish banking is particularly visible in the area of services related to the transfer of funds. Directions of further development in this area focus on the speed, security and ease of payment transactions and other forms of financial settlements. Based on a preliminary analysis of the development processes in Polish banking since the early 1990s, one can observe four such breakthrough moments (mile-stones) that have introduced new revolutionary changes in areas related to money transfers, namely: the first cards and ATMs - "card revolution"; Internet banking services accessible from a personal computer; mobile banking services available from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices; network banking based on blockchain technology. The observations provided evidence to support the thesis that the development of Polish banking was gradual, stimulated by the implementation of revolutionary financial innovations and driving rapid development at a given stage of banking. The findings suggest that the main impetus driving the continuous progress of such gradual "banking revolutions" lies outside the banking sector.