Lightyear unlocks Hungary for everyday investors
For many Hungarian retail investors, the path to owning familiar household names has often felt longer than it should. That distance just narrowed.
About Lightyear
Lightyear is a Europe-focused investing app offering multi-currency accounts and access to thousands of equities and ETFs. Built for cross-border simplicity, it emphasizes transparent fees, local funding options, and market-specific features. In Hungary, the company has been rolling out tailored tools for everyday investors, aiming to pair its international lineup with genuinely local access.
“Our Hungarian users most frequently asked us to make Hungarian stocks available,” said Andres Kitter, CEO of Lightyear Europe. “It’s fantastic that we’ve finally made this happen, so alongside the international selection already available on Lightyear, Hungarian investors can now also access local assets. We want to build an investment platform that truly covers all of Europe while always serving local needs in each market. In Hungary, in this spirit, we first made the TBSZ available, and now we’re expanding our offering with Hungarian stocks as well—step by step making the product better for Hungarian investors.”
The news: BÉT blue chips land on the app
At its Universe 2025 event in Budapest on September 25, Lightyear announced the first phase of listings on the Budapest Stock Exchange (BÉT/BSE) platform, with 18 main-market stocks now available for trading. The initial set includes the country’s best-known blue chips — OTP Bank, MOL Group, Gedeon Richter and Magyar Telekom — core pillars of the BUX index and among the most held and traded shares domestically. The company states that the move directly addresses user demand in Hungary and marks the beginning of a broader rollout of BÉT names in the coming period.
Tibor Tóth, CEO of the Budapest Stock Exchange (BÉT), said: “With today’s step, Hungarian capital markets have become more accessible not only for domestic investors; the opportunity is now opening up across Europe for those interested to buy stakes in Hungary’s most important listed companies.
By bringing BSE-listed shares onto a platform that is available across Europe, such as Lightyear, we are taking an important step toward connecting Hungarian companies with international retail investors and making our market more visible on the European stage.”
TBSZ: How the long-term wrapper fits in
Hungarian investors can also use Lightyear’s TBSZ (Tartós Befektetési Számla) option — a long-term, tax-advantaged account structure. In brief:
- What it is: a wrapper for eligible investments with a collection year for deposits, then a 5-year holding period (often viewed as 3 years + 2 years). You can trade freely inside the account.
- Why it matters: returns may be tax-advantaged if you keep the account for the required period (commonly referenced thresholds: reduced tax after 3 years and 0% on returns after 5 years, subject to current rules).
- Caveats: closing early can forfeit benefits and may trigger additional Hungarian tax liabilities (e.g., social contribution on the commitment yield under certain timelines). Personal situations differ, so checking the latest guidance or seeking advice is prudent.
Read also: Trading in Gránit Bank shares starts on Budapest Stock Exchange
Read here for more Hungary news