Austria foreign currency loan volumes fall below 5 billion euros

The volume of foreign currency (FX) loans held by private households in Austria fell by 2.9% in the second quarter of 2026 on an exchange-rate-adjusted basis. According to a survey by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA), the total outstanding amount dropped to 4.92 billion euros as of June 30, 2026, marking the first time the balance has fallen below the 5 billion euro threshold.

These loans represent 2.7% of all private household credit in Austria. Since the FMA imposed a ban on new issuances in autumn 2008, the FX loan volume has decreased by 92% (44.5 billion euros) in real terms. At the peak of the credit boom in 2006, foreign currency loans accounted for 32% of all private household credit.

Approximately 99.2% of the remaining loans are denominated in Swiss francs, with the remainder almost entirely in Japanese yen. The FMA estimates that most of these remaining loans will reach maturity between 2029 and 2033. Financial institutions are required to initiate discussions with affected borrowers at least annually.