Key Takeaways
- World Savings Day was established in 1924 to raise awareness of the importance of saving and financial planning. For decades, children would proudly head to the bank on this special day, one hand in Mum or Dad's, the other clutching their piggy bank.
- The tradition is still alive today, but savings accounts offer little in the way of interest, while inflation continues to eat away at the value of money. Simply saving is often no longer enough to build wealth – investing has become increasingly important.
- Rather than simply putting money aside each month, you can also invest regularly and automatically in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.• Our World Savings Day analysis shows that many BISON users are already using crypto savings plans to invest regularly and automatically. There may be no toy as a reward, but there's another benefit: the opportunity to build your portfolio over time without constantly monitoring the market.
What Is World Savings Day?
Depending on your age, you may remember taking your piggy bank – or the money you’d saved in it – to the bank towards the end of October. It was always an exciting moment: watching your piggy bank being opened, seeing your money counted and having the amount entered into your savings book.
And that was exactly the point: children were meant to understand that their coins (and sometimes banknotes, too) could also be represented as a balance in their very own savings book. World Savings Day played an important role in teaching children about saving and money.
The History of World Savings Day: From Milan to the Present Day
To understand how it all began, let’s take a step back in time. It’s October 1924, and the First World War is still fresh in people’s memories. In Milan, Italy, Cassa di Risparmio hosts the First International Savings Banks Congress, bringing together representatives from 27 countries. On the final day of the congress, World Savings Day is officially established.
And that decision, made more than 100 years ago, still stands today: since 31 October 1925, many countries around the world have celebrated World Savings Day every year at the end of October.
Fast-forward to the post-war years. From around 1955 until the mid-1980s, World Savings Day enjoyed its heyday. And today? In many of the countries where the tradition first took hold, it has largely faded into the background. Emerging and developing economies, however, are embracing it as a way to highlight the importance of saving and planning for the future.
From Savings Accounts to Investments: More and More Germans Are Investing
As the saying goes, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” This reflects the preference for security over risk that has traditionally shaped German saving habits. In other words, many would rather settle for a modest but reliable return than take a chance on potentially higher gains. As a result, many have accepted the gradual erosion of their savings’ purchasing power as low returns struggle to keep pace with inflation.
But attitudes are slowly beginning to change. According to the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2026, securities accounted for 37.1% of German household financial assets in 2025, overtaking bank deposits for the first time, at 36.4%.
The trend is clear: Germans are moving away from traditional savings accounts and towards investments that offer greater long-term return potential. And there are good reasons for this.
Inflation Is Eating Away at Your Savings
Some people may long for the “good old days”, when a piggy bank and a savings account were all you needed to build up your savings. But there have always been periods when money lost its value faster than usual.
That’s when one word starts popping up everywhere in the news: inflation. Put simply, the same amount of money buys you less today than it did five, ten or twenty years ago. Your purchasing power has declined. In recent years, geopolitical developments in particular have contributed to rising inflation, driving up the cost of energy and raw materials alike.
Several factors explain why simply keeping your money in a savings account or in cash under your mattress is often not enough to build wealth over the long term:
- Inflation gradually erodes the purchasing power of your money.
- You earn little or no interest on your savings.
• If the inflation rate is higher than the interest rate on your savings, your money loses value in real terms.
Of course, traditional saving still has its place. It provides many people with a sense of financial security. But if you’re looking to build wealth over the long term, it’s worth looking beyond the traditional savings account.
26% of Germans Have Invested in Cryptocurrencies
And this is where things have changed considerably since World Savings Day’s heyday. Instead of simply leaving their money in a bank account, more and more people are investing in the financial markets. Alongside stocks and ETFs, cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly popular, with 26% of Germans having already invested in Bitcoin and other digital assets.
So, what do saving and investing have in common? Both involve setting money aside regularly. These days, instead of hearing coins rattle in your piggy bank, you might hear your phone buzz with a notification that your latest savings plan purchase has gone through.
Crypto Savings Plans Are Becoming Part of Everyday Life
For more than one in four BISON users, this is already part of their routine. Our analysis for World Savings Day shows that many people are now using cryptocurrencies to build up their investments in much the same way as they would with traditional savings plans: regularly, in small amounts and over the long term.
1 in 4 BISON Users Invests Regularly Through a Crypto Savings Plan
More than one in four BISON customers has invested in cryptocurrencies through a savings plan – 27% of women and 26% of men. Among users with an active savings plan, Bitcoin is by far the most popular choice: 95% invest in the world’s largest and oldest cryptocurrency.
“World Savings Day is a reminder of what really matters when it comes to building wealth: consistency and patience. Cryptocurrencies don’t replace traditional forms of saving; they complement them. Diversification is one of the fundamental principles of sound investing,” explains Ulli Spankowski, CEO and Co-Founder of BISON.
The most popular amount is €10 per transaction. Half of BISON’s crypto savers invest up to €100 per month, spread across an average of two savings plans.
Month After Month: Most Investors Stick With Their Plans
Most crypto savers are remarkably consistent, letting their savings plans run month after month – regardless of whether the market is bullish or bearish.
Monthly contributions are the most popular option: 60% of savers have a monthly savings plan, while 42% invest weekly. Four in ten have been making regular contributions for more than a year, and half have been doing so for at least nine months.
Build Long-Term Wealth with an Automated Crypto Savings Plan
FAQ
Is a BISON crypto savings plan worth it?
How do I set up a crypto savings plan in the BISON app?
In your BISON app, go to “Orders” → “Savings Plan” → “New Savings Plan”. Then select your cryptocurrency, investment amount, frequency and date, and confirm your savings plan.
How many savings plans can I set up?
You can set up as many crypto savings plans on BISON as you like. There is no limit.
How often can I invest?
You can schedule your crypto savings plan to run weekly, monthly or quarterly. For weekly investments, you can choose the day of the week. For monthly and quarterly investments, you can select either the 1st or the 15th of the month.
What is the minimum amount I can invest in a BISON crypto savings plan?
You can set up a crypto savings plan on BISON with as little as €0.01.