Your case · money in the bank

Money sitting in the bank, or investing in ETFs?

Got savings in your account, or put some aside every month? See what they become in a current account, in a savings deposit or by investing in ETFs, in today’s money, after inflation.

Your numbers

Money in the bank today€30,000

€0€1,000,000

And each month you add€200

What you usually save each month. Put 0 if you don’t add anything.

How long you leave the money10 years

Savings deposit rate2%

Example rate, change it to your bank’s offer. The current account is counted at 0%.

In 10 years, in today’s money:

Current account€44,299

Savings deposit at 2% a year€51,755

Investing in ETFs 7% historical average · range 5–9%€76,477

You put in €54,000 in total (€30,000 today + €200 a month)

On the current account you would lose about €9,701 of buying power. By investing in ETFs you could have about €22,477 more than you put in, in today’s money.

Inflation 2% a year. Before taxes and costs. ETF returns are not guaranteed and change every year; these are constant averages.

When to keep it in the bank, and when to invest in ETFs

Keep it in the bank if…

It’s your emergency fund: about 6 months of expenses.
You’ll need it within 3–5 years: a house deposit, a car, studies.
A temporary drop of 30% would make you sell in a panic.

Investing in ETFs makes sense if…

You won’t need the money for 10 years or more.
Your emergency fund is already in place.
You can leave it invested even when markets fall.

The differences at a glance

	Current account	Savings deposit	Investing in ETFs
Return	About 0%	Fixed and known in advance	Varies; about 7% a year on average over the long run, not guaranteed
Risk	None, up to the deposit guarantee	None, up to the deposit guarantee	Can fall a lot in the short term
Protection	EU deposit guarantee up to €100,000 per person per bank	Same as the current account	Not a deposit. The ETF shares stay yours even if the broker fails, because they are held separately
Access	Any time	Often locked until the end of the term	Sell any trading day, cash in 2–3 days
Costs	Account fees	Often none	Yearly fund cost (TER) 0.1–0.3% plus broker fees
Taxes	Interest is taxed; rates depend on the country	Interest is taxed	Gains are taxed when you sell; rates depend on the country

Taxes and rules depend on your country. Not financial advice.

Taxes change, and they vary. Tax rules change often, sometimes every year, and depend on your country, your region and your own situation. What you read here is a general summary, checked in October 2026: always check the current rules with an accountant or tax adviser before deciding.

Questions

Is a savings deposit safe?

In the EU, deposits are guaranteed up to €100,000 per person per bank, current accounts and savings deposits included. Above that amount it makes sense to split the money across banks.

Can I do half and half?

Yes, and it’s often the most sensible choice: emergency fund and short-term money in the bank or a savings deposit, the long-term part invested in ETFs.

What if markets crash right after I start investing in ETFs?

It can happen. To reduce that risk you can spread a large amount over 6–12 months instead of investing it all on one day. And only invest money you won’t need for at least 10 years.

Next: your first plan for investing in ETFs

Answer 3 questions and get a one-page plan: how much to keep in the bank, how much to invest in ETFs each month and how to set it up.

Make my plan

Not financial advice. Educational estimates with constant average returns, before taxes and costs. Investing in ETFs can lose money. Check your country’s rules or talk to a qualified adviser.