World Savings Day: Growth in citizens' trust and stability of the banking system in BiH

(Patria) - On the occasion of World Savings Day, October 31, the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(CBBH) hosted over 400 primary and secondary school students from various parts of the country, as part of its traditional activities aimed at strengthening financial literacy.

Through educational workshops, interactive presentations, and visits to the main units and branches of the CBBH, students had the opportunity to learn more about the importance of saving, responsible money management, and the role of the CBBH in preserving the stability of the domestic currency and the financial system.

The activities were carried out in cooperation with schools and teachers, with a special emphasis on practical examples and discussions about everyday financial decisions that contribute to the development of healthy financial habits from an early age.

The latest data from the CBBH show that citizens' trust in the banking sector and the domestic currency – the convertible mark (KM) – is continuously growing. At the end of September 2025, total household deposits with banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina amounted to 18.88 billion KM, representing an increase of 1.94 billion KM or 11.5% compared to the same period last year.

Household deposits constitute 52.1% of total deposits in the banking sector and represent a key basis for financing and stable operation of banks.

Viewed by maturity structure:

- Term and savings deposits amounted to 5.65 billion KM (29.9% of total household deposits), with an annual growth of 6.5%.
- Demand deposits reached 3.85 billion KM (20.4%), with a growth of 6.1%.
- Transaction accounts amounted to 9.38 billion KM (49.7%), with a growth of 17.3% compared to the previous year.

In terms of currency structure, household deposits in the domestic currency (KM) amounted to 11.13 billion KM (58.9% of total household deposits), while deposits in euros and deposits in KM with an exchange rate clause linked to the euro amounted to 7.03 billion KM (37.2%). Deposits in other foreign currencies amounted to 724 million KM, or 3.8%.

Household deposits in KM increased by 16.8% on an annual basis, which is a result of an increase in transaction accounts in the domestic currency by 1.26 billion KM. Deposits in foreign currencies recorded a growth of 4.7%.

These indicators confirm that citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina increasingly recognize the importance of saving and have confidence in the stability of the convertible mark and the banking sector. The continuous growth of household deposits contributes to the stability of the financial system and enables banks to provide sustainable financing for the economy and the population.

By marking World Savings Day, the CBBH emphasizes the importance of financial literacy, responsible personal finance management, and developing saving habits from an early age, as a foundation for personal and societal financial stability.

World Savings Day commemorates the First International Savings Bank Congress, held on October 31, 1924, in Milan, where representatives of world savings institutions sought a way out of the crisis caused by World War I and concluded that saving was essential for development. World Savings Day was also established with the aim of popularizing saving worldwide.