Spanish youth increase investment despite low financial literacy

Recent surveys indicate a growing interest in financial markets among young people in Spain, though this trend is accompanied by significant gaps in financial literacy. According to the Funcas 2026 survey of individuals aged 16 to 35, there is a notable disparity in perceived knowledge between genders; only 13% of men and 6% of women consider their financial knowledge to be high or very high.

Investment patterns also reveal gender differences. While 86% of men reported saving in the first half of 2026 compared to 73% of women, men's average accumulated savings were 55% higher. Men also show a stronger preference for the stock market and cryptocurrencies, whereas women are more likely to use interest-bearing accounts and investment funds.

Complementary data from the EFPA Spain Financial Education Survey, based on assessments by certified advisors, gives the general level of financial education in Spain a mediocre score of 5.3 out of 10. While advisors note that Spaniards are increasingly interested in economics, they warn that this interest is often reactive to events like inflation or market volatility rather than being driven by proactive knowledge. A major area of deficiency remains taxation, which 56.6% of advisors identified as a topic clients understand poorly.