Wealthiest Belgian households now control over half of nation’s wealth
All Belgian households together had a net wealth of 3,145 billion euros in the first quarter of 2026. More than half of this (54.4 per cent) is held by the wealthiest 10 per cent of households. This is according to data from the National Bank (NBB). Inequality in Belgium is lower than the eurozone average, Belga News Agency reports.
Wealth remains unequally distributed in Belgium, the NBB states based on the figures. A household belongs to the wealthiest 10 per cent if it has a net wealth of at least 1.16 million euros. The average net wealth in Belgium was 610,000 euros.
The Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality in wealth distribution, increased to 68.8 per cent, compared to 68.5 per cent in the previous measurement. A higher coefficient indicates a more unequal distribution of wealth. The central bank emphasises that the coefficient in Belgium is lower than in the eurozone as a whole, where it stands at 73.1 per cent.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the number of US dollar billionaires had risen to 4,020 in 2026, marking a record increase driven largely by AI.
