What is Insider Trading? Definition, Examples, Penalties

What is Insider Trading? — Basic Definition

Insider trading is the use of confidential information to make transactions in the capital market, which gives unfair advantage over other investors. In Poland, this is regulated by the Financial Instruments Trading Act and KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority) supervision.

Freenance explains insider trading mechanisms, legal consequences of regulation violations and ways to protect against accidental commission of this financial crime.

Quick Answer

Insider trading is the use of confidential information to make transactions in the capital market, giving an unfair advantage over other investors. Confidential information is specific, non-public data about an issuer or its instruments that could significantly affect the price once disclosed. In Poland it is regulated by the Financial Instruments Trading Act and supervised by the KNF. Penalties for individuals reach up to 5,000,000 PLN (or 3x the benefit) plus imprisonment and a function prohibition. It is distinct from fundamental analysis, which legally uses only public data.

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Legal Definition of Insider Trading

Confidential Information — Key Concept

Confidential information is any specific information that:

• Has not been made public
• Concerns the issuer or financial instruments
• Could significantly affect the price when disclosed
• Comes from a reliable source

Types of Insider Trading

1. Primary:

• Board members, supervisory board members
• Public company employees
• Auditors, lawyers, consultants

2. Secondary:

• Family, friends of insiders
• Persons receiving information from insiders
• "Accidental" information overhearing

3. Structural:

• Financial institutions with data access
• Investment analysts
• Financial journalists

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Examples of Insider Trading in Poland

High-Profile WSE Cases

GetBack case (2018):

• Management knew about financial problems
• Share sales before loss announcement
• Penalties: 2.5 million PLN fine + function prohibition

Polimex-Mostostal case (2016):

• Contract information before official announcement
• Share trading by related persons
• KNF imposed penalties on 15 people

CI Games case (2019):

• Financial results leaks
• Trading before report publication
• Total penalties: 1.8 million PLN

Typical Insider Trading Situations

Before results publication:

Situation: CFO knows about weak Q4 results
Action: Sells shares 2 days before report
Effect: Avoids 200,000 PLN loss
Penalty: Up to 5 million PLN + prison up to 3 years

Mergers and acquisitions:

Situation: Lawyer knows about planned takeover
Action: Buys target company shares  
Effect: 40% profit in 2 weeks
Penalty: 3x benefit value + prison

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Insider Trading Penalty System

Financial Penalties from KNF

For natural persons:

• Up to 5,000,000 PLN — depending on abuse scale
• 3x benefit value — if higher than 5 million PLN
• Function prohibition — up to 10 years
• Profit return order — plus interest

For companies:

• Up to 15,000,000 PLN or 15% of annual turnover
• Brokerage activity prohibition
• Joint and several liability for damages

Criminal Penalties — Penal Code

Art. 181 PC — Insider trading crime:

• Prison — from 3 months to 5 years
• Fine — up to 12,500,000 PLN
• Professional prohibition — up to 10 years
• Benefit forfeiture — mandatory

Additional Consequences

• Professional exclusion — brokerage license loss
• Civil processes — investor compensation
• Reputation — permanent career destruction
• International prosecution — by ESMA and SEC

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How Insider Trading Supervision Works?

KNF Monitoring

SMOK System (Trading and Client Monitoring System):

• Real-time unusual transaction analysis
• Algorithms detecting suspicious patterns
• Cross-referencing with report calendar
• Social media monitoring

Red flags for the system:

• Trading before important announcements — within 48h window
• Unusual volumes — 10x above average
• New accounts — trading right after opening
• Geographic concentration — trading from one region

International Cooperation

ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority):

• Suspicious transaction information exchange
• Joint cross-border investigations
• EU penalty harmonization

MOU with SEC and other regulators:

• Insider trading prosecution in US markets
• Foreign exchange data access

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How to Avoid Accidental Insider Trading?

For Individual Investors

Be careful with information from:

• Workplaces — especially in corporations
• Social media — unofficial groups
• Industry meetings — conferences, fairs
• Family and acquaintances — working in finance

"Chinese wall" rule:

If you work in bank/corporation:
✗ DON'T trade client stocks
✗ DON'T pass information to family  
✓ Report your transactions to compliance
✓ Use approved platforms

For Public Function Holders

Reporting obligations:

• Transaction registration — within 3 business days
• Prohibited periods — 30 days before reports
• Insider lists — updates every 6 months
• Compliance training — minimum once per year

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Insider Trading vs. Fundamental Analysis

What is Legal?

Permitted analysis:

• Public financial reports — everything in ESPI
• Press conferences — publicly broadcast
• Industry analyses — available to everyone
• Management interviews — in public media

Legal analysis example:

Investor notices:
- Margin decline in last 3 quarters  
- Rising raw material costs
- Weakening industry forecasts
→ Decides to sell shares

This is LEGAL analysis of public data

Gray Zone — Where Does Analysis End?

Problematic situations:

• "Hot tips" — from industry acquaintances
• Journalist leaks — before official communications
• Analyst leaks — from brokerage houses
• Social media information — from employees

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Impact on Market and Fair Competition

Harm to Market Participants

Retail investor losses:

• Unequal competition chances with insiders
• Systematic transaction losses
• Lost trust in capital market

Costs for entire market:

• Higher bid-ask spreads
• Lower liquidity
• More expensive capital cost for companies

Numerical Example

Insider buys shares at 100 PLN:
- Knows about merger in 3 days  
- Price jumps to 140 PLN
- Profit: 400,000 PLN on 1M PLN investment

Retail investor:
- Sells at 100 PLN (doesn't know about merger)
- Loses potential 400,000 PLN profit
- Difference = wealth transfer through insider trading

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Future of Insider Trading Regulation

New Supervision Technologies

Artificial Intelligence:

• Communication pattern analysis (emails, SMS)
• Social media monitoring
• Predictive abuse detection models

Blockchain and DLT:

• Unmodifiable transaction audit trail
• Smart contracts with built-in safeguards
• Decentralized compliance

2026 Regulatory Changes

MAR II Directive (Market Abuse Regulation):

• Expanded insider trading definition
• Higher maximum penalties (up to 10% of turnover)
• Criminal liability for legal entities

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Most Important Rules for Investors

5 Golden Rules

1. "If in doubt — don't trade" — in case of slightest uncertainty
2. Use only public information — available to everyone
3. Document analysis sources — in case of KNF control
4. Avoid trading before important dates — results, mergers, management changes
5. Training and compliance — regularly update legal knowledge

Freenance Recommends

In case of legal doubts:

• Consult with lawyer specializing in financial markets law
• Report problem to KNF (can be anonymous)
• Use compliance helpline at broker

Remember: Ignorance doesn't protect from penalty. Every investor is responsible for knowing basic insider trading rules.

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Article is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Freenance recommends consulting with specialist in case of legal doubts.

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• How to analyze stocks — fundamental analysis 2026

FAQ

What is insider trading?

Insider trading is buying or selling financial instruments based on material non-public information (MNPI) about an issuer or its securities. It is illegal in Poland and across the EU because it gives the trader an unfair advantage and damages trust in the capital market.

Who can be considered an insider?

Primary insiders include board members, supervisory board members, key employees of a public company and external advisors such as auditors and lawyers. Secondary insiders are people who receive MNPI from a primary insider — for example family members or business contacts — and trade on that information.

What are the penalties for insider trading in Poland?

The KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority) can impose administrative fines of up to 5,000,000 PLN on individuals, or three times the benefit obtained if that is higher. Criminal liability under the Financial Instruments Trading Act adds imprisonment of up to several years and a professional ban, plus mandatory forfeiture of profits.

How can a retail investor avoid accidental insider trading?

Stick to publicly available information published in ESPI/EBI filings, press releases and official conference calls, and avoid trading on tips received from people who may have access to MNPI. If you genuinely cannot tell whether information is public, the safest rule is not to trade until it has been officially disclosed.

Is fundamental analysis the same as insider trading?

No. Fundamental analysis uses public data — financial reports, regulatory filings, industry research and management interviews — to form an opinion about a company's value, which is fully legal. Insider trading specifically requires the use of material information that has not yet been disclosed to the broader market.