• Europeans are not taking advantage of their purchasing power, keeping money in the bank instead of investing it.
• Lack of trust in financial systems, debt and job insecurity have all contributed to this issue.
• Europeans need to increase their financial literacy for smarter investments.
The Financial Wealth Gap in Europe
It is estimated that the financial wealth of Europeans would be €1.2 trillion higher if savers had invested their money instead of keeping it in the bank. Only 17% of Europeans reported that they owned Bitcoin in 2021, while data suggests that only 15% of Germans invest in stocks, compared to 55% of Americans.
Reasons Why Europeans Aren’t Investing
A lack of financial literacy and self doubt about their investment ability are apparent hurdles, but there are several other reasons why Europeans aren’t being smarter with their money:
- Lack of trust in the financial system: Many millennials have experienced firsthand a great recession and seen banks go unpunished which has led to a general lack of trust among them.
- Debt: Owning a home often comes with a 30-year mortgage and other debts such as car leases or credit cards can make it difficult for young people to save and invest.
- Job (in)security: Millennials entered the workforce after a 2008 financial crisis with limited opportunities and stagnating salaries followed by job losses due to COVID-19.
- Lack of Financial Literacy: Many Europeans lack basic knowledge and skills needed to manage their finances more intelligently.
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How Can This Situation Be Improved?
There needs to be a larger focus on helping millennials understand how they can leverage investing tools like Bitcoin into growing their wealth over time instead of just relying on traditional banking methods. There should also be an emphasis on increasing education around personal finance so that people can make better decisions when it comes to managing their own finances.