Trillions sitting idle: Here's how much money Europeans are losing on savings
Europeans are losing an average of €294 in purchasing power for every €10,000 they keep in the bank, according to a study from Revolut, which found €6.3 trillion sitting in low-yield deposits across 20 EU countries at a moment when Brussels is trying to push that money into capital markets.
A new study reveals that Europeans are losing trillions in potential growth due to their money sitting idle in savings accounts. Revolut's European Wealth Drain Index, which surveyed 20,007 adults across 20 member states, found that in 12 out of 20 markets, average one-year deposit rates do not keep up with inflation. On average, deposits pay 2.76% against inflation of 2.94%, causing savers to lose ground in real terms.
Even accounting for this, households forgo an average of €638 per €10,000 each year by keeping money in cash, which amounts to €422 billion in lost growth capital per year. The main reasons people stay put include inertia, confusion, and app fatigue. Three-quarters of respondents have never switched banks for a better rate, and nearly half misjudge their inflation-adjusted returns.
Revolut's head of wealth and trading, Rolandas Juteika, argues that better products and more accessible investment options can overcome this inertia. The study also highlights regional disparities, with Central and Eastern Europe facing the widest gaps between inflation and deposit rates, while Western and Southern Europe holds the largest piles of idle cash.
The European Commission's proposed Savings and Investments Union aims to unlock up to €470 billion in additional investment by providing incentives and better infrastructure for savings and investments.
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