A poll conducted in the three Baltic countries shows that young people aged 18–25 in Estonia develop investment habits earlier, on average, than their peers in Latvia and Lithuania.

In Estonia, one in five young people invests, with an average securities portfolio of €1,950.

According to SEB data, a growing number of 18–25-year-olds in the Baltics have savings. The average savings amount is about €1,500 in Lithuania, €800 in Latvia, and around €1,000 in Estonia. At the same time, young people are reluctant to keep money in current accounts, preferring to place funds in term deposits and gradually move into investments.

“In Lithuania, the average investment portfolio of 18–25-year-old clients in July 2025 was approximately €3,630 — almost 14 percent more than a year earlier — while in Estonia and Latvia portfolio sizes remain considerably smaller. In Latvia, the average portfolio is around €2,430, and in Estonia about €1,950, with both countries showing a slight year-on-year decrease. However, Estonia stands out significantly in another respect: as many as 22 percent of young people here invest, compared to 15 percent in Latvia and just 13 percent in Lithuania,” said Elisabet Visnapuu, Head of Savings, Investment, and Pension at SEB Estonia.

Young people’s attitudes toward investing also differ across the Baltic states. In Estonia, 47 percent say they would start investing once they have spare money, while 51 percent would begin as soon as they acquire basic knowledge about investments. In contrast, as many as 72 percent of young Lithuanians believe that one should only start investing once income levels are sufficiently high or there is money left over.

“These figures reveal a fundamental difference. While young Lithuanians are waiting for the right moment — when they expect to have more money — their peers in Estonia have already begun developing the habit of growing their wealth,” Visnapuu noted.

SEB has calculated that to build an investment portfolio worth €100,000, a 20-year-old would need to set aside €38 per month for 40 years, assuming an annual return of at least 7 percent. By comparison, a 40-year-old would need to invest €192 per month over 20 years to reach the same goal — five times as much.

The consumer survey was conducted for SEB by pollster Norstat in April across the three Baltic states. A total of 1,000 residents aged 18–74 were surveyed in each country.

Source: BNS

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