Republic bonds

Finance Minister digs up the “Bundesschatz” again

The federal treasury is back: investors can now once again invest money directly with the Republic of Austria and buy federal bonds with an interest rate of up to 3.5 percent. 

"It is the safest investment in Austria," says Finance Minister Magnus Brunner. Another advantage for customers is that there are no charges or fees. A custody account at a bank is not necessary; the bonds can be purchased directly online. One difference to other forms of investment: Deposit protection is unlimited, so to speak, as the Republic is 100 percent liable.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

A distinction is made between "classic federal treasuries" and "green federal treasuries". They were issued specifically for the revival of the Federal Treasury. The classic Bundesschätze can be invested for one month (3.5 percent interest), twelve months (3 percent) or ten years (2.5 percent). The fact that interest rates are lower for longer terms has been atypical to date, but is due to the fact that everyone is currently expecting interest rates to fall soon. So if you buy a government bond now, you could protect yourself with a longer commitment. Over 10 years, even low-looking interest rates of 2 to 3 percent could protect against inflation.

Finance Minister Magnus Brunner is reactivating the Federal Treasury, which allows private investors to invest money directly with the state.(Bild: Zwefo)

"Green" federal treasuries with a 3.25 percent interest rate
The green federal treasury is intended exclusively to finance climate-friendly investments, e.g. for the expansion of renewable energy or a growing rail network. The interest rate is 3.25 percent for six months and 2.75 percent for four years.

The minimum deposit for all forms is 100 euros. The interest rate is fixed daily. Once you have opened a "Bundesschatz" account, you can then transfer the corresponding savings amount via your own bank account.

The prerequisite is the ID Austria, the digital signature of the federal government, which bond savers need in the full function in order to be fully verified. Although this puts some senior citizens without a smartphone at a disadvantage, Brunner believes it is the best option in terms of security, and many senior citizens already have a digital signature.