Hungary

Economy & industry overview

Hungary is an upper-middle-income, open economy in Central Europe and a member of the European Union since 2004, though it retains its own currency, the Hungarian Forint. The economy is heavily oriented toward manufacturing and exports, with automobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals representing key industrial pillars. Services account for roughly 57% of GDP, while manufacturing and other industry contribute approximately 38% combined. Hungary has attracted significant foreign direct investment, particularly in electric vehicle battery production from Asian manufacturers. The country faces ongoing fiscal pressures, with a government deficit above 5% of GDP, and its economic trajectory is closely tied to demand from Germany and the broader euro area.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$222.90B
GDP growth real, annual	0.5%
Inflation annual	4.4%
Population people	9.7M
GDP per capita USD	$22,157
Market cap total listed, USD	$46.20B
Market cap / GDP	20.7%
Unemployment	4.5%
Listed companies	55
Exchange	Budapest Stock Exchange (XBUD)

Data year: 2025. Sources: World Bank National Accounts Data 2024, IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), European Commission Spring 2026 Economic Forecast, OECD Economic Outlook Volume 2025 Issue 2, Budapest Stock Exchange (BSE) official data, CEIC / Budapest Stock Exchange Market Capitalization Data Dec 2024, MSCI Hungary Index Factsheet (November 2025), Eurostat, FocusEconomics Hungary, Trading Economics, Statista, Worldometer GDP 2026.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Budapest Stock Exchange
Code	XBUD
Website	www.bse.hu
Currency	HUF

Local broker access

Foreign investors can access Budapest Stock Exchange (BSE/XBUD) equities through international brokers offering CEE market access (e.g., Interactive Brokers, Erste Group, Raiffeisen Bank International, OTP Securities). Trading uses the Xetra platform. Settlement is in HUF. Liquidity is concentrated in a small number of large-cap names (OTP Bank, MOL, Richter Gedeon). No US-listed single-country Hungary ETF exists; regional EM Eastern Europe ETFs and direct OTC/ADR access to Hungarian firms are the main US-accessible routes. Some Hungarian companies trade as OTC pink-sheet ADRs in the US.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

EU citizens may reside and work in Hungary freely under EU freedom of movement rules. Non-EU nationals may apply under the Guest Investor Programme (2024) or standard work/student visa categories. Hungary's cost of living is relatively low by EU standards. Budapest is the primary economic and cultural hub. Income tax is a flat 15%; the standard VAT rate is 27%, among the highest in the EU.