Tax efficient investing for the long-term investor

The only
free TBSZ

Take your investment return tax to 0% by holding investments for 5 years, or to 10% by holding them for 3.
Get started

What gives the edge to our TBSZ?

It's free — no opening, holding or withdrawal fees

Our pricing
It's free — no opening, holding or withdrawal fees
Get started in-app, in seconds

No more emails, long waiting times or office visits to manage your account.

No more emails, long waiting times or office visits to manage your account.

Up to 5.60% interest with money market funds

Make your money work
Up to 5.60% interest with money market funds

Hold & invest in Ft € $ £

About Lightyear
Hold & invest in Ft € $ £

How we compare

We are one of the most competitively priced investment platforms on the market and that's how we like it. Low cost, transparent pricing is in our DNA.
IBKRK&HErste
TBSZ opening fee
Free
Free
Free
Free
TBSZ holding fee
Free
Free
Ft 199/month
Ft 350/month
Withdrawals
to a bank account not associated with the the broker
Free
Ft 6,000 / €1
1 free withdrawal per month
0.25%
min. 500 Ft max. 20,000 Ft
0.45%
min. 500 Ft, max. 15,000 Ft
Euro ETFs
traded on XETRA
Free
from Lightyear trading fees
From 0.05%
€1.25 min
0.6% on buys
sell fees vary
0.45%
€7 min
US shares
per successful order
$1 max
$0.0035/share
$0.35 min
0.12% – 0.34%
$6.99 min
0.45%
$7 min
EU shares
per successful order
1€
0.05% per trade
€1.25 min
0.12% - 0.34%
€6.99 min
0.45%
€7 min
Currency conversion (FX)
0.35%
0.002%
€2 min
1%
~0.7%

Comparison as of 03/01/2024. Information shown is based on competitors' websites information. For the most up to date data, please visit the respective websites.

Interactive Brokers: Plans differ depending on where you're located. Above, the Tiered Pro plan is shown. Other plans offered are Tiered and Fixed with a minimum per order of €4.00, or starting at 0.05%, which might vary depending on the country. TBSZ fees here, others here.

K&H: Pricing might very depending on the account plan you're on.

Erste: Pricing might very depending on the account plan you’re on.

As seen in
VilaggazdasagForbes HungaryPortfolioFintech Hungary
Investments on Lightyear

Asset types to suit every investor

Growing wealth over the long term or hedging against risk? We’ve got tools and asset types to suit every investor.
US stocksUK stocksEU stocksETFsMoney Market Funds
US stocks

3,000+ US stocks across the NYSE and Nasdaq.

The world’s largest stocks

Keeping your assets protected

Trusting us with your investments is something we do not take for granted.
Regulated in the EU & UK
In the EU, we’re licensed by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, who together with audit firms, carries out regular supervision over us.
Safeguarding your assets
All of your cash and investments are kept completely separate from Lightyear’s assets and will not be used by us in any case. Our obligations to protect your money are not limited to any maximum amount.
Keeping your account safe
From 2-factor authentication at sign in, to only being able to withdraw money to your own bank account and much more. We make sure no one else gets access to the funds on your Lightyear account.

You might be asking

What is a "Tartós Befektetési Számla" or TBSZ?

A Tartós Befektetési Számla (TBSZ) is a tax-advantaged Long-term Investment Account for Hungarian tax residents. The main benefit is a reduced tax rate on investment returns, which is either 10% or 0% (down from the standard 15%) after 3 or 5 years, respectively.

To open a TBSZ account, you must be:

  • Over 18 years old
  • A Hungarian tax resident
  • A Hungarian resident

Can I earn interest on uninvested money in the TBSZ account?

The Hungarian law currently only allows banks to pass on interest on the money users hold in their TBSZ account. As a regulated investment service provider, today, we can only pay interest on your money in your general Lightyear account.

Within the TBSZ account, you can make the most out of today’s high interest rates with BlackRock’s money market funds.

How can I open a TBSZ account with Lightyear?

To open a TBSZ account, you must be:

  • Over 18 years old
  • A Hungarian tax resident
  • A Hungarian resident

To open the account, you need to:

  • Open or log in to your personal account
  • Navigate to your profile on the top left corner of the app
  • Click on “Add another account”

How do I put money into a TBSZ account?

You can get started with just 25,000 HUF, and there’s no maximum limit. We support the same currencies that your general account supports. Note that you can only deposit during your collection year (the calendar year you opened the account).

  1. Deposit money into your general Lightyear account
  2. When your money has arrived, move it into your TBSZ account: Select the 'Deposit/Befizetés' button in your TBSZ Cash Balance and choose your Lightyear balance as a deposit method

Can I transfer my TBSZ with another provider to Lightyear?

At the moment you can’t transfer your current TBSZ account from another provider to us but we’re working on making it possible and will notify you when that option is available. The same is true with instrument transfers from your general Lightyear account to your Lightyear TBSZ account

What's the process for paying taxes on a TBSZ account?

While the TBSZ account takes your investment return tax to 0% after five years, you are still responsible for determining and paying the tax yourself — especially if you close your TBSZ account before that. Tax certificates will be provided.
Disclaimer
When investing, your capital is at risk. Lightyear does not provide tax advice. Terms apply, seek guidance if necessary.