Formal Borrowing Statistics in Germany (2026)

54.7% of adults in Germany borrowed from a formal financial institution in 2021, World Bank Global Findex data show. Essentially no change from 54.6% in 2017 to 54.7% in 2021. Germany ranks #7 of 46 economies in Europe & Central Asia on this measure, and #15 of 142 globally.

Key Statistics

Latest value (2021): 54.7% (2021); Formal Borrowing in Germany as of 2021, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
Change since 2017: 0 pp (2021); Essentially no change from 54.6% in 2017 to 54.7% in 2021.
Earliest value in this dataset (2014): 45.8% (2014); Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 45.8% in 2014 to 54.7% in 2021.
Record high (2021): 54.7% (2021); The 2021 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Germany.
Rank in Europe & Central Asia: #7 of 46 (2021); Germany ranks 7 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, based on each country's latest value.
Global rank: #15 of 142 (2021); Germany ranks 15 of 142 countries with data globally.
Europe & Central Asia average: 33.3% (2021); Germany (54.7%) is above the average of 33.3% across the 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data.
Among women (2021): 58.5% (2021); Value for women in Germany, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Among men (2021): 50.7% (2021); Value for men in Germany, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Gender gap (women minus men): +7.8 pp (2021); In 2021, the figure was 58.5% for women and 50.7% for men — 7.8 percentage points higher among women.
Among the poorest 40% (2021): 52.2% (2021); Value for adults in the poorest 40% of households in Germany in 2021.
Poorest-40% gap vs national: −2.5 pp (2021); The poorest 40% (52.2%) are 2.5 percentage points below the national figure (54.7%).
Internet use in Germany (2024): 93.5% (2024); 93.5% of the population in Germany used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
Population (2024): 83.5 million (2024); Germany had a population of 83.5 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.

Trend, 2014–2021

Formal Borrowing in Germany by year (% of adults (age 15+))
Year	% of adults (age 15+)	Change
2021	54.7%	+0.0 pp
2017	54.6%	+8.9 pp
2014	45.8%	—

Fig. 1 — Formal Borrowing in Germany, 2014–2021

Frequently asked questions

What share of adults in Germany borrowed from a formal financial institution?

54.7% of adults in Germany borrowed from a formal financial institution in 2021, according to World Bank Global Findex data.

How recent is the formal borrowing data for Germany?

The most recent observation is from 2021. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2021 is the latest available year for Germany.

Where does the formal borrowing data for Germany come from?

The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin22a). The latest observation for Germany is from 2021; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.

How has formal borrowing in Germany changed over time?

World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 45.8% in 2014 to 54.7% in 2021.

How does Germany compare with other countries in Europe & Central Asia?

Germany ranks 7 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, with 54.7% versus a regional average of 33.3% (latest values per country).

Source & methodology

Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator fin22a, retrieved 2026-06-10.

Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.

Last updated 2026-06-10.