Three in four Irish adults say they have savings accounts, but less than half hold any type of investment – BPFI research
- Most savers are prioritising short to mid-term financial needs, such as saving for a rainy day (64%) or short-term expenses like holidays (38%), over long-term planning, such as retirement or future income.
- Less than half of adults (44%) hold any investments, with 72% of investors preferring low-risk options.
- One in five (19%) investors indicated that they did not understand the fees and taxes they need to pay, and a similar proportion (20%) said they did not closely monitor their investment performance.
Tuesday 2nd December 2025 – New consumer research published today by Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) shows that while most Irish adults (77%) say they have a separate savings or deposit account*, fewer than half (44%) hold any type of investment. The survey, which looked at the savings and investment attitudes among Irish adults, also revealed that more than one third of those with savings have less than €5,000 in their account, although savings amounts vary significantly by age, with younger adults more likely to have modest savings of less than €5,000 and older adults more likely to hold over €10,000.
Key findings from the survey show that:
- A strong majority (77%) of respondents maintain separate savings or deposit accounts.
- Those most likely to hold separate savings or deposit accounts include individuals aged
65 and over (84%).
- Among those with savings accounts, younger adults aged 18-34 are most likely to have
modest savings, with 45% holding less than €5,000. In contrast, 43% of individuals aged
55-64 and 65 or over report having more than €10,000 saved.
Reasons for savings and investments
- A rainy day is the main reason given for saving by respondents with 64% of savers and 39% of investors setting aside funds for unexpected bills or events.
- About one third of investors (35%) and one in five (19%) savers said they wanted to provide an income for retirement.
- Some 38% of savers aimed to cover short-term expenses such as holidays and 34% to cover other major expenses such as house deposit or wedding.
- Among investors 39% said they were aiming to gain better returns than those offered on savings accounts.
Investor behaviour
- Most investors (72%) described themselves as conservative or very conservative.
- While most investors say they understand fees and taxes on investment or monitor their performance (62%), one in five (19%) indicated that they did not understand the fees and taxes they need to pay.
- More than half of investors said the closely monitor the performance of their investments, one in five (20%) said they did not closely monitor their investment performance.
Speaking on the publication of the survey, Brian Hayes, Chief Executive, BPFI stated: “Today’s findings reveal that three in four (77%) Irish adults have savings or deposit accounts with more than one third of those with less than €5,000 in their account. We see that most savers are prioritising short to mid-term financial needs, such as saving for a rainy day (64%) or short-term expenses like holidays (38%), over long-term planning, such as retirement or future income, although older individuals tend to focus on long-term financial security, including retirement and inheritance. Looking more closely at investment trends however, we see that over half of respondents (56%) do not hold any investments. Among those who do, traditional investment vehicles such as funds, stocks, and bonds are the most common choices with 72% of investors preferring low-risk approaches.”
He continued: “The results indicate that there is potential to increase the number of people investing, with fewer than half (44%) of consumers saying that they hold any type of investment. The European Commission has proposed that Member States, including Ireland, consider developing a new form of Savings and Investment Account. Any new account introduced should be easy for consumers to understand and to open, have clear tax benefits, and give investors freedom to invest as little or as much as they want and withdraw funds when it suits them.”
Mr Hayes concluded: “With one in five consumers indicating that they did not understand the fees and taxes they need to pay and a similar proportion stating they did not closely monitor their investment performance, we strongly encourage more consumers to seek information on how their investment products work, to assess the likely costs and potential returns, and to ensure they have the products that best suit their needs.”
Ends/
*Separate savings or deposit accounts are dedicated savings or deposit accounts and are separate from current accounts
The BPFI Savings & Investments Survey was conducted by Amárach Research in July 2025 through a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Irish adults 18+ in the Republic of Ireland. The full survey report can be downloaded here.
Note: Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) represents the banking, payments and fintech sector in Ireland. Together with its affiliates, the Federation of International Banks in Ireland, and the Fintech & Payments Association of Ireland, BPFI has over 120 member institutions and associates, including licensed domestic and foreign banks and institutions operating in the financial marketplace.
Contact: Fiona Murphy, Head of Communications, fiona.murphy@bpfi.ie or Jillian Heffernan, Director of Communications, jillian.heffernan@bpfi.ie.
