Most Czechs see real estate as best overall investment option

A recent survey by the IBRS Savings Barometer by financial firm Golden Gate has revealed that an overwhelming majority of Czechs prefer investing in real estate, with 80 percent opting for owning a house or apartment as their top investment choice. The survey found that land ownership came in second place, with 72 percent of respondents considering it the best investment option.

The survey also showed that a savings account was the third-most popular choice, with 54 percent of respondents favoring it. Investments in precious metals, such as gold, were attractive to 49 percent of Czechs, according to the survey. 

"Precious metals have long been considered a relatively safe and stable way to preserve the purchasing power of money. The price of gold has increased by 28 percent this year alone to a record high of more than USD 2,600 [CZK 60,175] per ounce," said Pavel Řihák of Golden Gate.

Interestingly, the survey found that investments in shares and bonds have seen the biggest shift over the past five years, with 36 percent of Czechs now considering them an attractive option; an 11-percent-percentage-point increase in the past five years. On the other hand, the popularity of building savings has halved over the same period, with only 28 percent of respondents considering it a viable option.

Cryptocurrencies, which were once a popular investment choice, have seen their popularity plummet by roughly half since 2021, with only 17 percent of respondents now considering them an attractive option.

"It turned out that Bitcoin does not function like gold in the eyes of savers, such as a safe harbor in times of crisis and savings for worse times. Despite this decline, people still buy cryptocurrencies and speculate on them," said Martin Stránský, director of cryptocurrency-help website Bit.plus.