On paper, Bulgarians are wealthier than ever. In reality, the way they save is working against them. A new international report explains the gap.
The numbers look good, until you look closer
According to Capital's analysis of the Allianz Global Wealth Report, Bulgaria ranks 36th out of 60 countries surveyed, with net financial assets of 14,790 euros per person, up roughly 10 percent from the previous year. Total gross financial assets stand at 137 billion euros. Household debts amount to 37 billion euros, leaving a net figure of around 100 billion euros. The problem: household debt is growing even faster, at just over 18 percent, outpacing the headline wealth gains.
Global household wealth hit a record 268.4 trillion euros in 2025, with rising asset prices generating roughly four out of every five euros of new household wealth worldwide. Markets did most of the heavy lifting, and owning the right assets has rarely mattered more. That is a pattern debated across Europe and North America, where wealth is increasingly built by holding stocks and property rather than by earning wages and saving in traditional accounts.
Bulgaria's bank deposit problem
Capital reports that deposits account for 74 percent of new savings flows in Bulgaria, the highest concentration among the Eastern European countries examined in the report. Insurance and pension products account for around 20.8 percent, while securities, stocks and bonds, represent just 2.1 percent of savings growth. Bulgarian households were net sellers of equities, offloading around 0.2 billion euros worth of shares.
Deposit interest rates in Bulgaria remain very low, and inflation reduces those modest returns quickly. Deposits carry the protection of guarantee schemes, but generate little or no real income. Investments in securities and other financial instruments are designed to produce returns that outpace inflation over time.
