Belgians and their wealth
Thanks to our Chair at Ghent University, we proudly present already our third 'wealth report'.
Helping to build our clients' wealth is one of our bank's core tasks. We think that providing you with a well-founded and especially ‘realistic’ benchmark like this, we hope to bring you one step closer to realising your goals.
Some conclusions
Yet, more info is to be found in the wealth report.
Prosperity in Belgium increased slightly
Median wealth in Belgium is €286,250. Half of Belgians have less and half have more than this amount. The median rose slightly compared with 2024, by 3.3%. If you take the inflation rate of 2.4% into account with that growth rate, real wealth increased by 0.9% in 2025. An increase, but much more limited than in 2024.
The financial portfolio has found a new balance
Many households still opt for safe, reliable and liquid financial assets. Those who do choose financial assets with a higher return see their wealth grow faster due to the interest on interest effect.
Money makes money: wealthier households tend to have a higher appetite for risk, so they are more likely to invest in assets with higher expected returns and thus see their wealth grow faster.
Least wealthy active investors risk gambling
Belgians are predominantly passive investors. Active investors mainly belong to the most wealthy and the least wealthy households.
Wealthy active investors combine financial literacy with a rational investment strategy and calculated risks. The least wealthy active investors oftenlack financial knowledge and adopt a more emotional, opportunistic investor approach that is similar to gambling.
Gifts drive home purchases among younger generations
Affordability has been under pressure for some time in a heated housing market. Gifts have become a catalyst for buying a home. They make the difference between owning or not owning a home, especially for younger generations.
When gifts are used to purchase a primary family home, they typically fund around 30% of the home’s value.
Those providing the gift are skipping a generation
When it comes to a gift or an inheritance, an increasing number of parents are skipping their children. Their estate - or part of it - goes directly to the grandchildren. Many of them are still at a stage in life when a financial boost is vital, while the children have already accumulated considerable wealth.
That trend looks set to continue in the coming years.
