Executive Summary By prioritising app-based onboarding, frictionless trading and low entry thresholds, neobrokers have broadened retail engagement, and especially among younger and first-time investors. They also expand access to asset classes and “modern” digital functionality. This ease of access can improve outcomes through lower explicit costs and, in some cases, revenue sharing; but it can
BETTER FINANCE today published its pioneering assessment of whether individual investors in Europe can meaningfully invest in publicly listed climate-solution companies based in low- and middle-income (LMI) countries. The study highlights a striking gap between European investors’ willingness to support climate action abroad and the actual investment channels available to them. LMI countries are responsible for around 75% of global emissions, yet receive
BETTER FINANCE has conducted a study to assess the investment landscape for Global South climate solution equities. This study shows that European retail investors are effectively locked out of investing in climate-solution companies across most of the Global South. Despite growing demand for sustainable and climate-aligned investments, the current retail investment system in France and
BETTER FINANCE publishes the 2025 edition of “Will You Afford to Retire?” revealing persistent structural challenges in long-term and pension savings across Europe. Despite a second strong year, European pension savers still struggle to preserve purchasing power. BETTER FINANCE today released the latest edition of its flagship research, “Will You Afford to Retire? The Real
It is sometimes frustrating to report, every year, on something as unfailingly disappointing as the real return of European supplementary pensions. It is a feeling akin to that of a preacher in the desert. Then, someday, you read something from the European Commission which makes you hopeful: People need to be able to access safe,
Listing and delisting are the entry and exit doors of public equity markets, yet only the former has meaningfully shaped EU policymaking. Recent reforms — most notably the 2024 Listing Act — focused on easing IPOs and reducing issuers’ regulatory burdens as part of Europe’s shift toward more market-based financing, notably for SMEs. The 2025 Savings and Investments Union
Investment scams have become one of the most significant threats facing retail investors in Europe. The rapid digitalisation of financial services, together with the global and cross-border nature of online platforms, has enabled fraudsters to scale their activities, exploit regulatory gaps, and target investors across all demographics. These scams undermine trust in financial markets and
BETTER FINANCE welcomes the submission of EFRAG’s revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) to the European Commission as part of the EU’s drive to simplify sustainability reporting. The amended standards cut mandatory datapoints by 61% and introduce new flexibilities intended to reduce administrative burden for companies. Clearer reporting that benefits individual investors For individual investors,
BETTER FINANCE and the CFA Institute yesterday concluded the conference “Mind the Pension Gap: Delivering Adequate, Inclusive & Portable Pensions in the Current EU Cycle”, kindly hosted by MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin at the European Parliament, bringing together EU policymakers, supervisors, and pension experts to address the growing challenge of ensuring decent retirement income for European
Transition investing, or investing in emission-reducing activities, has not become obsolete in 2025. Global investment amounted to about $2.1 trillion in 2024, led by renewables, electric vehicles, and grids. China is now firmly in the lead; the United States is holding steady; the European Union dropped relative to 2023. However, the world is investing far