You want to give your child a financial head start in life. A savings account seems like the safe, traditional choice that most Belgian parents make.
Yet with interest rates stuck far below inflation, a €10,000 deposit today will have lost over 25% of its purchasing power by the time your child turns 18, even with compound interest.
This article examines the best child savings accounts in Belgium, while also exploring how investing can transform your child's financial future with significantly higher returns over the long term.
Why save for your child's future
The importance of starting early
Starting to save early makes a massive difference thanks to compound growth. When we started saving for our nephews and nieces, we saw that even small, regular amounts can grow a lot over time. Starting when your child is born, not waiting until they’re 10, can save you thousands of euros by age 18.
It teaches financial responsibility
Involving your child in saving as they grow can help them learn key money management skills. You can show them how their account grows over time, discuss the concept of interest, and eventually involve them in decisions about their finances. Early lessons about saving and patience can shape a person's relationship with money for life.
Best child savings accounts in Belgium
💪 The best savings account for your child
The best savings accounts for your child have a limit on monthly deposits. They offer the highest interest. And in most cases, you're not going to save thousands of euros every month for your child (also we wish for them it is the case!). So the limit on deposits won't impact you.
For instance, the Ritme account by vdk bank offers the highest 2.85% interest rate, and you can deposit up to €500 every month.
👶 The best savings account designed for children
Most savings accounts don't have age restrictions. So both children and adults can open one. But some banks offer savings accounts designed for children. Child-specific accounts tend to give higher interest rates, fun sign-up gifts, and useful educational tools. For example, Banque CPH has a savings account for kids under 12. It offers a decent base rate of 1.25%. But in absolute terms, they don’t provide better rates than the top regular savings accounts.
How child savings accounts work
Ownership and access rules
In Belgium, child savings accounts are set up in your child's name. You're in charge of managing the account until they reach 18. The money legally belongs to your child, but you control deposits and withdrawals. Once your child turns 18, they gain full control of the account and can use the money however they wish.
Current interest rates across major banks
Belgian child savings accounts currently offer disappointingly low interest rates. Most major banks offer a low base rate, with potential fidelity premiums that kick in after a year. These rates haven’t matched inflation. This means your child's money is losing its purchasing power over time.
The hidden problem with savings accounts
Interest rates don't keep up with inflation
The main problem with savings accounts is that inflation has gone up quicker than interest rates. In Belgium, consumer price inflation has been about 2.5% each year recently. Meanwhile, many savings accounts offer less than 1%. This creates a fundamental problem that most banks avoid discussing with you.
The real purchasing power loss over 18 years
When we do the maths, the problem becomes clear. If inflation is 2.5% each year and your child's savings account earns only 0.7%, their money loses approximately 1.8% of its buying power each year. Over 18 years, this erosion is substantial.
What €10,000 today will be worth when your child turns 18
Let's look at a concrete example. If you deposit €10,000 in a child savings account with a 0.7% interest rate, after 18 years it will grow to about €11,337. With 2.5% annual inflation, that money's purchasing power would drop to around €7,269 today. Your child has actually lost over 25% of the real value of their money during that time.
A better alternative for your child: investing
Why index investing makes sense for long-term goals
When we save for our children, we're typically looking at a time horizon of 10 to 20 years. This long-term view makes investing in ETFs and index funds a great option compared to savings accounts. Index investing lets you own tiny pieces of thousands of companies around the world. This spreads your risk and helps you benefit from the growth of the global economy.
The power of compound returns over 18 years
Global data shows that diversified ETFs have given average annual returns of over 8% over the long term. Even using a conservative estimate of 6% annual returns, the difference compared to savings accounts is dramatic. That same €10,000 put into a globally diversified ETF has grown to €40,218 over 18 years from 2007 to 2025. In contrast, it would only be €11,337 in a savings account. Index investing provides much greater long-term returns than a savings account. This better protects your child's savings from inflation and gives them a strong start in life.
How to think about risk when investing for your child
Many parents worry about the risk of investing in the stock market through ETFs. It's true that the value of investments can go up and down in the short term. When you invest for your child over 18 years, short-term fluctuations matter less. Historically, diversified index investing has outperformed cash savings over periods exceeding 10 years.
How Curvo helps Belgian parents invest for their children
Set up a portfolio with your child in mind
Curvo makes it easy to start investing for your child's future. When you set up your account, you can choose your investment goals, like saving for your child's education. You can also specify the time horizon, or how many years until your child needs the money. We recommend a portfolio that matches your comfort level while still aiming for growth.
Monthly saving plans that grow with your family
One of the best features of Curvo for parents is the ability to set up automated monthly investments. You can start with as little as €50 per month and increase your contributions as your financial situation evolves. This "set and forget" approach makes it much easier to stay consistent with your savings plan for your child.
Sustainable investing for a better future
When investing for our children's future, we also want to consider the world they'll inherit. Curvo provides sustainable investment portfolios. These portfolios exclude companies connected to weapons, tobacco, and gambling. They also avoid those with bad environmental practices. This way, you're not only building your child's financial future but also investing in the kind of world you want them to live in.
Know how your child will start their life
Curvo offers a way to project your child's savings into the future. Based on historical data, you can estimate their savings when they turn 18, based on how much you save for them every month.
The account remains in your name until you decide to transfer
With Curvo, the investments stay in your name. This is different from child savings accounts, where the money belongs to the child and transfers automatically when they turn 18. This gives you more control and flexibility. You can decide when to transfer parts of the investment. Do this as your child hits milestones, when needs come up, or when you think they are ready to handle money responsibly. This allows for a more gradual transition to financial independence.
Comparing approaches for your child: Curvo vs savings account
Potential growth: a comparison
The difference in potential growth between savings accounts and index investing is substantial. Looking at historical data from 2007 to 2025, a €10,000 lump sum invested in a portfolio like on Curvo would have grown to approximately €40,000 (despite including the 2008 financial crisis and other market downturns). The same €10,000 in a savings account would have grown to only about €11,400.
For monthly contributions, the difference is even more striking. If you invested €100 a month through Curvo from 2007 to 2025, it would have grown to around €38,900. In contrast, putting the same amount in a savings account would only give you about €22,700.
When a savings account might still make sense
Savings accounts aren't without merit in specific situations. They make sense for short-term goals (less than 5 years away), emergency funds, or for smaller amounts you want to use as teaching tools with your child. They're also good if you can't handle any changes in value. But this means giving up a lot of potential long-term growth.
Conclusion
When we first looked into saving for our nieces and nephews, we were surprised to discover how much money was being lost to inflation in traditional savings accounts. The reality is that for long-term goals like your child's adult life, investing offers significant advantages over savings accounts.
By starting early and leveraging the power of compound returns through investing, you can potentially multiply your contributions several times over. At the same time, you maintain control over the funds until you feel your child is ready, unlike savings accounts that automatically transfer at age 18.
Whatever approach you choose, the most important thing is to start now. Even small, regular contributions can grow substantially over 18 years. And if you're interested in learning more about how to effectively invest for your child's future while maintaining control and flexibility, Curvo's portfolios are designed with Belgian parents in mind.