Savers lose €25 billion a year by keeping money idle in the bank

With inflation at 3.2%, Spanish households lose €25 billion a year in purchasing power by keeping their money in non-interest-bearing deposits. Each family misses out on an average of €1,300 a year.

Spanish households have €883 billion in deposits and cash that generate little to no return, according to the latest data from the Bank of Spain. With a year-on-year inflation rate of 3.2%, this combination leads to a loss of purchasing power of €25 billion a year, according to an analysis by the investment platform Pasivoo.

The financial wealth of families reached €2.645 trillion at the end of 2025, but a third of that money (33.4%) remains in accounts and deposits with near-zero returns. This translates to an average loss of €1,300 per household per year, an invisible cost that does not appear on bank statements.

The hidden cost of inaction

Antonio Loro, founder of Pasivoo, explains that the main problem is that the nominal balance does not change: The bank balance says the same as last year, and that's why no one complains. But the supermarket doesn't say the same. It's a silent tax that we pay out of inertia. Loro adds that every €10,000 left idle in an account at 0% loses €310 in purchasing power each year. In ten years, more than a quarter of the savings evaporates without crisis or bad luck, simply by not moving it.

The study, based on data from the INE and the Bank of Spain, indicates that the loss could be mitigated with basic alternatives such as interest-bearing accounts (offering between 2.5% and 3% APR) or treasury bills. You don't need to be an expert investor to stop losing. You just need to know that you are losing, concludes Loro.

The danger of not investing

Keeping money inactive in a current account leads to a constant loss of purchasing power due to inflation. If prices rise at a rate higher than 3% annually and savings do not generate returns, the real value of money decreases. A fixed amount loses a significant part of its value over a period of 5 to 10 years. Moreover, by not investing, one forfeits the multiplying effect of compound interest, where generated profits are added to the initial capital to generate more gains over time.

For the average saver, the recommendation is to review the available options: interest-bearing accounts, fixed-term deposits, treasury bills, or conservative investment funds. The first step is to be aware that idle money loses value, and then seek alternatives that fit the risk profile. In a context of persistent inflation, inaction has a real cost that should be avoided.