OTP Bank’s Budapest FX hub brings together 10 traders and 25 sales professionals across dedicated spot, money market, and options desks, powered by automated pricing.

FX banking in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is dominated by a mix of global investment banks and large European universal banks—particularly Austrian, French, Italian, and German groups—that view the region as a key engine of growth.

CEE occupies a unique position in global foreign exchange markets, sitting at the crossroads of the eurozone, emerging Europe, and major trade corridors linking Western Europe with Asia and the Middle East.

Against this competitive backdrop, our pick for regional winner has distinguished itself by accelerating CEE’s evolution from a fragmented, post-transition financial system into a strategically important FX hub for corporates, asset managers, and international banks.

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Best FX Bank In Central and Eastern Europe

OTP Bank

Budapest-based OTP Bank repeats as CEE regional winner. With branches in 11 countries, the bank estimated total assets in mid-2025 at €111 billion, reporting profits up 10.3% YoY to some €1.3 billion and net income and commissions from FX up 12%.

Ten FX traders and 25 salespeople in OTP’s Budapest hub execute deals using automated FX pricing, with three trading desks dedicated to FX spot, FX money market, and FX options. Internet-based systems enable clients to conclude FX transactions and convert funds in over 40 currencies.

Building upon its November 2024 agreement with Integral Development to automate pricing and distribution to clients in spot, forwards, and swaps, the bank last year joined CLSSettlement to mitigate FX settlement risk and improve efficiency. CLS uses a payment-versus-payment system to settle transactions in 18 of the world’s most traded currencies.

With traders and investors likely to be trading the forint enthusiastically ahead of this coming April’s parliamentary elections in Hungary, OTP’s role as CEE’s FX leader looks set to grow.