Pension funds (macroeconomic)

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This dashboard shows trends in assets held on pension funds' balance sheets, their analysis according to financial instrument and their breakdown by type of pension fund. We also apply the "look-through method” to provide insight into the financial instruments in which pension funds invest indirectly through the units they hold in investment funds.

Pension fund assets analysed according to financial instrument

Total pension fund assets can be analysed according to the different financial instruments held on the funds’ balance sheets. A detailed explanation of the various financial instruments can be found in the “Explanation” tab for total pension funds.

Assets held by pension funds, applying the look-through method

The chart above shows that a significant portion of pension funds' balance sheets consists of investment fund units. Statistics from Dutch investment funds can be used to provide insight into their underlying investments. These indirect investments of pension funds are shown in the chart below. That chart still includes some investment fund units. They represent investment funds on the nature of whose investments we have no information, especially foreign investment funds.

The look-through method

Using granular data, we can allocate most units in Dutch investment funds to other financial instruments and investment funds.

This look-through method can be applied, for example, if a pension fund invests in a Dutch investment fund, which in turn invests in foreign bonds. Without "looking through”, this is considered an investment in a Dutch investment fund. When looking through, however, this is seen as an investment in foreign bonds.

Even when looking through, units in investment funds still remain on the balance sheet. The cause of this is that we are unable to establish a full link between the pension fund and relevant investment funds. This happens in the case of foreign investment funds and sometimes in the case of Dutch investment funds.

Assets broken down by type of pension fund

Several types of pension fund can be distinguished: industry-wide pension funds, company pension funds and other pension funds.

Industry-wide pension funds

Industry-wide pension funds are pension funds provided by employers in a specific industry. Examples include pension funds for the construction, government and education sectors, or for workers in the hospitality and catering industry.

Company pension funds

Unlike industry-wide pension funds, company pension funds are set up by a single employer or company. Examples include the pension funds of Shell, Heineken, ING and KLM.

Other pension funds

Other pension funds include:

Occupational pension funds
Pension funds for certain groups of self-employed professionals, such as general practitioners and civil-law notaries.
Premium pension institutions (PPI's)
Pension providers that – next to pension funds and pension insurers – administer pension schemes and build up pension assets, but do not bear the risks.
General pension fund (APF's)
Since 1 January 2016, it has been possible to set up a general pension fund. An APF is a pension fund administering one or more pension schemes.

This dashboard presents the macroeconomic statistics that we publish on Dutch pension funds. View more data in the tables on Dutch pension funds:

Table 8.1BC: Pension funds balance sheet
Table 8.1.1BC Summary balance sheet of pension funds by type
Table 8.1.4: Units in Dutch investment funds held by pension funds, look-through

More information

Also see the full overview of data on Dutch pension funds, the theme page Pensions, and the latest news on Dutch pension funds.

Subjects Pension funds