The Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) has released the first results of its 2025 Euro Survey in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe (CESEE). The report examines how people in non-euro countries view and use the euro, focusing on trust in institutions, financial decisions, and financial literacy.
One key finding is that euro cash holdings in CESEE declined last year, likely due to households needing to use their cash amid higher living costs and falling real wages. Despite this drop, the long-term trend of euroisation remains persistent. The survey also found that knowledge about inflation and exchange rates has improved, though not uniformly across the region.
Crypto asset ownership in CESEE remains low, with only 1% to 3% of the population holding cryptocurrencies. The typical crypto owner is a young man with a tertiary education and high income. Interestingly, crypto ownership does not seem to be influenced by trust or distrust in governments, national central banks, or financial stability.
The 2025 wave of the OeNB Euro Survey covered nine countries in CESEE, providing new data on household euroisation, financial literacy, and crypto asset ownership. The report offers insights into personal finance trends in the region.