The Austrian National Bank, the Federal Ministry of Finance and MCI Management Center Innsbruck have published their annual monitoring report on Austria’s 2025 National Financial Education Strategy. In person initiatives reached more than 155,000 people, while website visits rose by one third to about 550,000 and the number of active financial education measures increased 30% from the previous year. The report identifies gaps in reaching adults through face to face programs and in addressing emerging risks. Adults accounted for about 40% of the in person offering but only 6.1% of participation, although they generated 50.3% of website visits and 60.3% of online material downloads. Only seven of 195 measures covered deception and fraud, another seven addressed regulation and consumer protection, and 41 incorporated digitalization, whose share fell from 23.5% to 21%. Geographic coverage broadened, with 82.2% of face to face measures available in both urban and rural areas. The findings will inform the National Financial Education Strategy for 2027–2035, which is scheduled to be presented in January 2027. In 2026, the Austrian National Bank also began anti fraud project days with the police, launched a school phishing simulation with the University of Vienna and provided guidance on secure digital payments and fraud warning signs.
2026-09-25Austrian National Bank (OeNB)
Austrian National Bank reports financial education reaches more than 155,000 people, identifies fraud prevention and digitalization gaps
The Austrian National Bank and its partners reported that financial education initiatives reached more than 155,000 people in person, while website visits rose by one third to about 550,000. The monitoring report identified weak adult participation in face to face programs and limited coverage of fraud prevention, consumer protection and digitalization. Its findings will inform Austria’s 2027–2035 financial education strategy, due in January 2027.