What is the SZÉP card?
It is a tax-favored employee benefit card for accommodation, catering and leisure, issued by OTP, K&H and MBH. Holders spent a record HUF 492 billion in 2025, so hotels, restaurants and leisure merchants usually need to accept it.
In detail
It is a tax-favored employee benefit card for accommodation, catering and leisure, issued by OTP, K&H and MBH. Holders spent a record HUF 492 billion in 2025, so hotels, restaurants and leisure merchants usually need to accept it.
How the SZÉP card is used
Millions of Hungarian employees hold a SZÉP card, a benefit card that can only be spent on accommodation, catering and leisure. Employee benefit money on the SZÉP card is part of the Hungarian payment mix, next to cards, cash, fintech accounts such as Revolut and a young BNPL segment.
Accepting SZÉP cards
Since autumn 2025 OTP and MBH also let users add SZÉP cards to Apple Pay and Google Pay, which are offered by almost every bank. Online, cards are the main prepaid method, with 367 million internet card transactions in 2024, up 16%. Payment providers in Hungary list the SZÉP card next to cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and qvik, and a PSP entering the market should check SZÉP card support along with qvik and forint settlement speed.
More detail in our #PayWorldTour guide Payment methods in Hungary.