Moldova reports record household savings and rising official reserves

Economic indicators in Moldova show a significant rise in household savings, which have reached nearly 100 billion lei, representing 26.5% of the GDP. However, net savings growth is tempered by rising debt, as bank and non-bank loans have climbed to approximately 66.9 billion lei. While deposits are at record levels, economist Veaceslav Ioniță notes that many citizens continue to face financial struggles, with some preferring to keep cash at home rather than in formal institutions.

In a separate development, the National Bank of Moldova reported a sharp increase in official reserves, which rose by over 165 million euro in a single week in early October, reaching a total of 5.62 billion euro. This growth was primarily driven by increases in convertible currency reserves.

Socially, Moldova faces high poverty levels. Experimental calculations for 2025 suggest that 22.1% of the population is at risk of monetary poverty, with the risk being significantly higher in rural areas (32.9%) compared to urban centers (9.8%). The absolute poverty rate is estimated at 31.1%, meaning nearly one in three residents lives below the national poverty threshold.