Belgian residents saw a combined €100 billion increase in the value of their investment portfolios in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter, driven by higher valuations for existing assets.
The increase, at 6.1%, is "one of the largest quarterly increases in recent years," according to the National Bank of Belgium. The total value of securities held by Belgian residents now stands at over €1,715 billion.
According to the National Bank, the growth in Belgian households' assets was due to valuation effects, which contributed an €89 billion increase in portfolio values in the quarter.
Overall, households made just €5 billion in net new purchases in the quarter, mainly in investment funds.
The Bank notes that Belgian households invested only €68 million in US company SpaceX, the largest initial public offering in history.
In recent months, Belgium's new state bond saw significant interest from Belgian residents.
Over €1.2 billion was raised by the Federal Debt Agency in September mainly through the issuance of a new one-year state bond with a net yield of 1.925%.
The Federal Debt Agency issues state bonds at the end of each quarter, with September's take-up being a significant increase compared to earlier rounds this year.
In March and June, the Debt Agency raised just over €260 million in similar rounds.
