Make smart use of your money: invest in your future, not in a fountain
6 min Reading time
Febelfin launches a striking campaign with living statues to encourage people to manage their money more wisely.
Every year, millions of euros end up in fountains, in the hope of good luck – like in the Trevi Fountain in Rome. But how many wishes actually come true? Throwing money into a fountain and hoping for a bright financial future is a nice gesture, but not a sustainable financial strategy. It’s better not to leave financial decisions to chance. With an eye-catching fountain, Febelfin is launching a new campaign in Brussels focused on financial education. Because understanding money matters is essential to take control of your financial future.
🎯Campaign activation: a fountain with a message
On Thursday 18 September, Febelfin brings the atmosphere of Rome to Brussels. From 10 AM to 6 PM, a real fountain will rise on De Brouckère Square, where passers-by will be tempted to throw a coin into the water for good luck. Street performers will take on the role of living statues, sharing smart advice on how visitors can spend their money more wisely. Well-known influencers such as Jacques Delfosse and An-Katrien Casselman will also undergo a marble transformation to surprise coin-throwers with their best money tips.
💡 The message is clear: don’t just throw your money away – take control of your financial future. There are plenty of ways to save or invest.
👉 Read more on our website and/or talk to your banker.
📊 Research shows a need for financial education
Febelfin is taking this initiative because the financial resilience of Belgian households is under pressure. A recent study by Deloitte and Argenta shows that 54% of Belgian households are considered financially vulnerable. Young adults are the most affected, and only one in three has sufficient financial skills.
This is also confirmed by a recent study by Febelfin in collaboration with research agency Indiville: both young and older people still lack financial knowledge and confidence. At the same time, the demand for clear information is high among both generations.
On average, Belgians rate their financial knowledge at 6.8/10. Young people (16–30 years) score lower (6.4), while investors score higher (7.2).
Most knowledge lies in everyday matters such as digital banking, contactless payments, and administration.
Young people know less about cryptocurrencies, investing, borrowing, and pension savings. Older people score clearly better in these areas.
The biggest generational differences are in independent financial decision-making, pension savings, administration, and borrowing.
Young people mainly want more information about investing, while older people focus on online security.
The general need for financial information has increased in 2025 – especially among young people.
Research by Febelfin in collaboration with Indiville, conducted in February 2025 with 2,149 respondents, including 765 young people.
Financial stress remains a reality
Financial stress still causes many people sleepless nights. 37% of the population say they sometimes lie awake worrying about money. It’s mainly young people who suffer: 43% experience stress about their personal finances. Among older people, this is 35%. Worse still: 30% of young people fear their bank card will be declined due to insufficient funds.
Online fraud also requires better knowledge:
Study by Febelfin conducted by IndiVille, February 2025. More info: storytelling_phishing_en_dw.pdf
In addition to phishing, scammers are increasingly using other forms of online fraud to deceive victims. Nearly half of Belgians are completely in the dark when asked about their knowledge of these types of fraud.
8% of the Belgian population have never heard of phishing. Among young people, this figure is even more worrying: 23%.
Among young people, 23% might share their bank codes if asked via email, SMS, or another digital channel – even after carefully reviewing the message and accompanying website.
1 in 5 Belgians see security steps during online purchases more as a nuisance than as protection. Young people especially view these steps as obstacles (30%).
Financial education not only helps people save or invest more wisely, but also better protects them against online fraud and strengthens financial resilience.
These figures show that the need for financial education is big, and that all age groups benefit from sufficient knowledge and support. It is especially important to keep this in the spotlight and take the necessary actions.
🤝 Sector initiatives and call for collaboration
The Belgian financial sector is fully committed to financial education through initiatives such as:
The platform Klasse bank (only in Dutch/French)
Educational websites mijngeldenik.be and clubbeleg.be (only in Dutch/French)
The interactive ATM in Technopolis for the youngest among us (only in Dutch/French)
With this campaign, Febelfin not only wants to raise awareness, but also make a call to government, education, and other stakeholders to endorse and promote the importance of financial education. Parents also play a crucial role in this.
