“Belfius Bank: Strengthened Capital and Investment Strategies for an Uncertain Future”

“But you can’t compare that one to one,” says Goossens. “It is only a fraction of all the savings that we deposit with the ECB. We convert most of it into loans, and they bring in money. So far, not much, because of the low interest rates. Replenishing that credit mass is slow. “

Goossens adds that Belfius has been strengthening its capital for years. “Belgian banks are among the best capitalized banks in Europe. This meant that we were able to go deep during the covid crisis to help families and companies, with deferral of payment. The same during the energy crisis, and now the transition to a climate-neutral society. That requires a lot of investment and that is why we are careful.”

“I do not rule out that Belfius will raise interest rates, but when and how much, that depends on so many factors,” concludes Goossens.