Statistical news focuses on the latest figures and trends in Danmarks Nationalbank’s statistics. Statistical news is targeted at people who want quick insight into current financial data.
Exchange-traded funds are popular among households
Danish households have increased their investments in securities through foreign exchange-traded funds, known as ETFs. Since 2024, they have invested kr. 11.6 billion in these funds, while investments in traditional investment funds – excluding dividend payments – have amounted to kr. 2.6 billion. During the same period, households also sold shares and bonds worth nearly kr. 21 billion.
Danish households have shown an appetite for ETFs since 2024
Note:
Accumulated net purchases by Danish households in Danish and foreign securities (employees and pensioners, etc.). The net purchases include both individual pension schemes held in financial institutions and freely invested funds. For the purchases in Danish investment funds, dividends are subtracted. ETFs are identified based on the CFI code.
Equity-based exchange-traded funds dominate
Households can choose to invest in securities directly or purchase investment certificates in a fund that owns securities. An ETF is an exchange-traded investment fund that, like a stock, is priced continuously on the exchange. Typically, the securities in an ETF are selected based on a theme, such as geography, sector, or asset class. Most household purchases in foreign exchange-traded funds have been in equity-based funds that track indices such as a global index, e.g., MSCI World, or the U.S. S&P 500 index. This allows households to diversify their investments across a broad range of securities at relatively low cost, without having to buy each individual stock or bond separately.
Despite the strong demand for ETFs, they still represent only 4.6 per cent of households’ total securities holdings as of July. While some traditional investment funds also track equity indices, most households’ fund investments are in actively managed funds.