The net financial wealth of individuals in Belgium reached 1,203.9 billion euros last year, up 62.4 billion in one year, the National Bank of Belgium (BNB) said on Thursday.
The increase is mainly due to the increase in the value of financial assets, by 45.3 billion euros, analyzes the BNB. This increase is divided between investment fund shares (+23.8 billion), listed shares (+16.2 billion) and unlisted shares and other equity (+5.4 billion). Belgians also invested 32.1 billion euros in financial assets in 2021, adds the BNB, which increases these investments to the record level of 1,534.3 billion euros as of December 31.
New investments were concentrated in investment funds (+20.9 billion), sight deposits (+8.7 billion) and regulated savings deposits (+7.9 billion).
Real estate, a safe haven
Insurance products recorded net sales of -4.3 billion euros, as did debt securities (-6 billion). Financial liabilities of individuals increased from 315.4 to 330.4 billion euros at the end of 2021, an increase mainly due to mortgage loans (+14.3 billion).
In ten years, between the end of 2011 and the end of 2021, the net financial wealth of Belgians has increased by 43.5%, from 839.1 billion to 1,203.9 billion euros, notes the BNB. The composition of financial assets has changed over a decade, with investment fund shares gaining in importance while debt securities have fallen. Mortgage loans strengthened their position, when they constituted 78.3% of financial commitments in 2011, once morest 83.3% ten years later.
