Spain Launches Public Consultation for New Savings and Investment Account to Boost Long-Term Investment

The Spanish Ministry of Economy, led by Carlos Cuerpo, has initiated a public consultation aimed at designing a new savings and investment account to encourage long-term investment and diversification among Spanish savers. This initiative seeks to mobilize household savings towards capital markets and reduce the heavy concentration of wealth in real estate assets.

Currently, Spain’s household savings rate has risen to approximately 13% of disposable income, but about 75% of total household assets remain tied to real estate, while 85% of deposits are held in low-yield current accounts. The consultation highlights these trends and aims to improve returns on savings by facilitating investment in diversified financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds through authorized intermediaries.

The Ministry’s initiative is aligned with the European Commission’s strategy for a more integrated Union of Savings and Investment, and with the introduction of the 'Finance Europe' label. This label applies to investment products investing at least 70% in strategic sectors of the European Economic Area and requires a minimum five-year holding period to encourage stable, long-term investing. Similar savings and investment account schemes have been implemented successfully in EU countries like Denmark, France, and Italy.

This public consultation is seeking feedback on account features, including minimum and maximum investment amounts, number of accounts per individual, eligible assets, and marketing approaches. The ministry believes these measures will deepen capital markets, diversify financial portfolios among Spaniards, and support economic goals such as climate transition and economic autonomy. Public input for the consultation will be accepted until January 30, 2026.

Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo emphasized the importance of this initiative to boost retail investor participation and make investment choices more accessible, stating that the consultation is a key step towards "a straightforward vehicle for citizens to gradually allocate their savings into diversified portfolios with simple rules and predictable costs."