More than 250 billion euros: employee savings reach a new record in the first half of 2026

A real jackpot. Outstanding employee savings and retirement plans exceeded 250 billion euros in France during the first half of the year, a record, according to the latest figures published by the French Association of Financial Management (AFG).

These outstandings increased by 13.6% compared to last year, reaching 250.8 billion euros in total, according to the biannual study published by the organization, which represents French asset management professionals. This progression is both “driven by net flows”, that is to say new payments increasing these funds, but also by “a positive market effect”, i.e. an increase in the value of assets under management, according to the organization.

Employee savings is a collective savings system set up by companies through different products. It comes from participation, profit-sharing and matching contributions from the employer, or from voluntary payments. These sums are stored in company savings plans (PEE), where the money is blocked for five years; or in collective company retirement savings plans (PER or PERCO), where it is blocked until retirement, with the possibility of early release.

Interest, participation and contribution

In total, 17.2 billion euros were paid into these collective savings products, an increase of 5.6% compared to last year. Products dedicated to retirement represented a collection of three billion euros, up 7.2%. They come mainly from profit-sharing (+10.4% to 6.7 billion euros), participation (+0.5% to 5.2 billion euros) and company matching contributions (+6.3% to 3.0 billion euros). Buybacks are also on the rise and reached 12 billion euros, compared to 11.1 billion in the first half of 2025, specifies the AFG. More than 50% of employee savings are available and can therefore be used at any time by savers.