€100 won't make you rich overnight. Let's be clear about that from the start.
But waiting until you have "enough" to invest means you're missing out on something more valuable than money: time. Every month you wait is a month of potential growth you'll never get back.
The truth is, you can start investing with €100 today. And if you do it right, that small start can grow into something meaningful over the years.
Why €100 is enough to start
Many people still think investing is only for the wealthy, the ones with thousands of euros lying around. But that’s no longer true.
Today, you can start small and still build something meaningful. Thanks to fractional shares, even €50 can go a long way. What matters isn’t how much you start with. It’s about giving your money time to grow, staying consistent, and making smart choices along the way. For millennials and Gen Z in Belgium, the future of retirement looks uncertain. Our parents could count on the state pension, but that safety net is starting to tear. An ageing population and political inaction are putting the system under serious strain.
Relying only on the state isn’t enough anymore. To build a comfortable future, we need to make our savings work for us. But leaving money in a savings account won’t cut it either. Interest rates have been low for years, while inflation keeps eating away at what we can buy. In short, doing nothing with your money is costing you money.
The solution is to take matters into your own hands by investing your savings. As a potential investor, there are many reasons why investing can be beneficial for you.
Diversify your €100
Putting all your money into one company is risky. If that company struggles, your entire investment takes a hit. But when you spread your money across many companies, you reduce that risk. This is called diversification.
Diversification helps smooth out the ups and downs of investing. Some companies will do well, others won’t, but over time, your overall return becomes more stable. The problem? Buying dozens of different stocks to get that diversification can be expensive. Each trade comes with fees, and when you’re starting with €100, those fees can quickly eat into your profits. That’s where ETFs come in.
ETFs, or Exchange-Traded Funds, are bundles of many different stocks that you can buy in one go. It’s like buying a small piece of thousands of companies at once. Some popular ETFs, like VWCE, include over 3,500 stocks from around the world. So with just one purchase, you already get global diversification.
ETFs also tend to be cheaper than traditional funds sold by your bank. When choosing one, look for a low total expense ratio (TER). As a rule of thumb, anything below 0.30% is considered good value.
Myths about getting rich with 100 euros
Still think 100 euros can’t make a difference? Let’s go through a few myths before we learn more.
Opportunity to learn
Getting started with investing isn’t just about growing your money. It’s also a great way to learn. You’ll start to understand how companies work, how markets move, and what makes your money grow over time.
Even if you begin with small amounts, what really matters is building the habit. Setting aside a bit each month and investing regularly will add up faster than you think. As your income grows, those small steps become powerful.
Accessible investment apps
With the rise of online trading platforms, investing in the stock market has become more accessible and cost-effective than ever before. There are various investment apps that offer user-friendly interfaces and low trading fees, making it easier for young Belgians to enter the market. This accessibility empowers you to start investing with €100 and gradually build your investment portfolio.
Long-term economic growth
If you’re starting with €100, time is your biggest advantage. Having a long time horizon means you can take on a bit more risk and stay calm when markets go up and down. Over the long run, stocks tend to grow, even after short-term drops.
When you invest in stocks, you’re not just buying numbers on a screen. You’re becoming part-owner of real companies, companies that innovate, hire people, and help the economy grow. As they succeed, you benefit too.
Over the past few decades, advances in technology have driven incredible economic growth. The global stock market, represented by the MSCI World index, has yielded an average 10.4% return per year since 1979:
Steps to grow €100 into more
Let’s go through some of the steps you’ll take to grow your €100 into something bigger.
Adopt the right mindset
Before you start, it’s important to set the right expectations. €100 won’t make you rich overnight, but it can help you build a habit that could change your financial future.
Take a moment to think about why you want to invest. Is it for retirement, more freedom, or simply to make your savings work harder? Also ask yourself how long you can leave your money invested, and how comfortable you are with seeing your investments go up and down.
Build your emergency savings
Before chasing returns, make sure your base is solid. In Belgium, a good rule of thumb is to have 3 to 6 months of living expenses saved in a savings account as an emergency fund. That way, when life happens like a job change, unexpected bills, or a broken car, you won’t have to sell your investments at the wrong time.
Finding an investment
Putting your €100 to work is the next step on your journey. At Curvo, we recommend globally diversified low-cost ETFs. Some good examples would be VWCE, IWDA and IMIE.
All of these ETFs are tax-efficient, globally diversified (1,000+ stocks across the world) and have low costs (TER below 0.3%). ETFs are perfect to invest in with a smaller budget as you can start investing with as little as one share. IWDA is currently listed around €100, and you'll find most ETFs around that range.
You can't buy stocks directly on the stock market, you have to do this through an intermediary which is a broker. There are many different ones with their own pros and cons. We've made a detailed comparison on the best brokers in Belgium.
Use an investment app like Curvo
If managing your own portfolio of ETFs feels overwhelming or just not your thing, you’re not alone. Many beginners want to start investing but don’t have the time or interest to deal with all the details. That’s exactly why we built Curvo: to make good investing easy and accessible for Belgians. Curvo is perfect if you want to invest in a smart, proven way without having to manage it all yourself. You’re following the same index investing strategy, but with everything taken care of for you.
Just download the app, sign up and answer a few questions about your goals and how much risk you’re comfortable with. That’s it. Based on your answers, we’ll build the portfolio that suits you best. Each Curvo portfolio contains thousands of companies from all over the world. Some include bonds to reduce risk. And all portfolios are made up of sustainable, EU-regulated index funds. So your money is spread out and you're investing responsibly.
The app was designed for people who are just getting started. You’ll also find helpful guides and articles along the way. And if you ever have a question, we’re here to help.
Learn more on how Curvo works.
Make investing €100 a habit
If you start with €100, your wealth will grow slowly at first. But over time, growth accelerates because of compounding.
Let’s run some quick maths:
- Start with €100
- Add €50 every month
- Earn 7 % annual return
→ After 10 years, you could have around €8,900
→ After 20 years, around €26,600
That’s the effect of compounding, your returns earn returns.
- In year 1, your gains are small.
- In year 10, your gains are earning gains.
- In year 20, most of your money is made up of returns, not contributions.
Consistency beats timing. 100 euros invested regularly is worth more than €1,000 invested once and forgotten. Think in decades, not days. The biggest advantage you have is time.
Pitfalls to avoid
Many investors fall into traps that slow down their progress. Watch out for these:
- Trying to time the market. You can’t predict short-term moves, so stay consistent.
- Paying too much in fees. Small amounts plus high costs equals slow growth.
- Overreacting to volatility. Markets go up and down, that’s normal.
- Checking your portfolio too often. Check once or twice a month, not every day. The daily movements of the stock market is mostly noise.
Summary
€100 is enough. It's enough to start, enough to learn, and enough to build a habit that could transform your financial future. You don't need to be wealthy to invest. You just need to begin.
The myths that held previous generations back don't apply anymore. Thanks to ETFs and modern platforms, you can diversify globally with small amounts and low fees. The question isn't whether €100 is enough. It's whether you're ready to take that first step.
Start small, stay consistent, and think in decades rather than days. Whether you build your own portfolio or use something like Curvo that simplifies the process, what matters is making your money work for you. The state pension won't be enough for us, so it's time to take control. Your €100 today could be the beginning of something much bigger tomorrow.