The money in accounts at foreign banks operating in the Netherlands is protected by the deposit guarantee of the country of origin of that bank. Your money in these banks is also protected up to €100,000 or equivalent in the local currency. Your bank can tell you which deposit guarantee applies: the Dutch Deposit Guarantee or the deposit guarantee of the bank's home country.
Within the European Union, it has been agreed that the deposit guarantee offers equivalent protection in all countries. Within the euro area, your money is always protected up to €100,000 per bank per person. In non-euro countries within the European Union and in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, the €100,000 amount may be converted into the local currency. In that case, small differences may arise due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Foreign banks can be active in the Netherlands in several ways. The manner of operation determines which deposit guarantee protects your money at these banks.
If your money is protected by a deposit guarantee scheme from another country, it may take longer to get your money back if a bank fails. For customers in the Netherlands, the Dutch Deposit Guarantee guarantees a payout period of 7 business days, during which you can easily get your money back using your DigiD.
If you are a customer of a branch of a foreign bank in the Netherlands, it may take longer to get your money back. DNB is responsible for arranging the payout, but does so on behalf of the foreign deposit guarantee scheme. The foreign deposit guarantee scheme determines who gets what payout.
If you are a customer of a foreign bank operating in the Netherlands through a cross-border service, the payout will be arranged by the foreign deposit guarantee scheme. In that case, you should ask your bank about the procedure. If you have opened a savings account through a savings platform with a partner bank of the platform, the payout will be arranged by the deposit guarantee scheme of the country where the partner bank is located.
You can always contact your bank to find out which deposit guarantee protects your money.
Each bank has a deposit guarantee information sheet. This sheet includes information on which deposit guarantee protects your money, up to what amount and in which currency.
DNB administers the Dutch Deposit Guarantee. In general, DNB is not permitted to make value judgements about financial institutions.
When a bank fails, we make sure that account holders can quickly regain access to their money. Effective 1 January 2024, this will take no more than seven working days. Back in 2009, it was three months.
Read more Customers of bankrupt bank have access to their money even faster
Dutch households are putting more and more money in bank accounts abroad, according to the latest quarterly figures from DNB and the ECB. Countries where savings rates have recently risen are particularly popular among Dutch savers.
Read more Dutch households save more abroad
The volume of savings at Dutch banks is rapidly increasing. At the same time, only a little over half of all Dutch people know about the protection of this money by the Dutch Deposit Guarantee. General awareness is lower among young people and women.
Read more Dutch people are insufficiently aware of deposit guarantee
One month after the bankruptcy of Amsterdam Trade Bank (ATB), 95% of the guaranteed savings deposits have already been paid to ATB’s duped account holders. About 80% of all customers have applied for compensation.
Read more 95% of guaranteed savings deposits of bankrupt ATB now paid out
