While Dutch households are brilliant at squirrelling money away into their savings accounts, they invest far less cash than any of their European neighbours.
That finding comes from a fresh study by research firm Ipsos, commissioned by ING.
Despite the European ambition to “steer more savings towards investments”, as many as 42% of the Dutch “completely rule out investing”, compared to 30% of the other countries surveyed.
It’s official: the Dutch are champion savers
Dutch households saved over 6% of their income in 2025 alone, more than two percentage points higher than they did on average during the decade prior to the pandemic.
Needless to say, that leaves lots of cash sitting in savings accounts. According to the research, Dutch bank accounts hold about €10,000 more on average than other countries in the eurozone.
“The Dutch are champions at saving money,” says ING Chief Economist Marieke Blom. “This provides security and fits our strong pension system, but it also means that households benefit less directly from corporate growth.”
European politicians are keen to change this, she explains, because more Dutch investments mean that “households can build up more wealth in the long term, and companies gain more risk-bearing capital to invest and grow”.
Why don’t the Dutch invest?
Nearly three in ten Dutch people don’t feel the need to invest, “because their pension provision and accumulated assets are sufficient”. In a country with a strong pension system, where people also build wealth through home ownership, that’s certainly a fair point.
Yet, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Some hesitation stems from far more emotional reasons — a striking 44% of Dutch people view investing as “gambling in a casino”, while 39% admitted that they don’t know enough to start.
Meanwhile, a third admitted they’re inclined to sell in a panic if their investments drop sharply in value, a reaction that ING notes is at odds with long-term investing.
“Many people think that successful investing revolves around the perfect entry point or beating the market,” says Blom. “For private investors, however, it is actually about time, diversification, and peace of mind. Simple and boring investing also reduces risks in the long run.”
The younger generation tends to invest more
Reluctance to invest is strongest among the older generation in the Netherlands, while 25- to 34-year-olds invest “almost at the same level as in the other countries surveyed”.
Younger Dutch people are also more likely to admit they’d consider investing. As they’re still beginning their wealth accumulation journey, ING notes that their habits could slowly reshape the composition of Dutch household wealth.
READ MORE | Investing vs saving in the Netherlands: What’s the right choice in 2026?
And this so-called “first shift” is already visible. Last year, just 76% of Dutch households’ liquid financial assets were bank deposits, which is a slight dip compared to 2022.
To Blom, this dip is hopeful: “Particularly among younger generations, we see that the step towards investing is becoming more normal. This development can help households build wealth and contribute to the European ambition to put more savings to productive use.”
However, whether that dip turns into a meaningful shift is anyone’s guess. For now, the Netherlands remains a nation of diehard savers, who prefer cash in the bank over playing the stock market.
Do you prefer to save, or do you like a healthy balance of savings and investments? Share your opinions in the comments below.
