Around 80% of Portuguese people use available online resources to deepen their knowledge about personal finance, according to an independent study conducted by Nickel, a payment financial institution of the BNP Paribas group, in partnership with DATA E. The results show that 57% of respondents consider themselves to have an average level of financial literacy, while 34% say they only have basic knowledge, a perception particularly expressive among young people aged 18 to 34. Despite this, more than half of Portuguese people who recognize they do not have advanced knowledge have already sought to improve their skills, with the 25 to 34 age group standing out, where 61% say they have deepened their knowledge.
Digital is the main resource used by Portuguese people to develop financial skills. Seven in ten respondents use websites or applications from financial institutions to obtain information about financial products and money management. Among younger people, social media also plays a relevant role, with approximately one third of Portuguese people between 18 and 24 years old using these platforms to search for information related to personal finance. Alongside digital channels, 33% of Portuguese people seek advice from friends or family, while approximately 18% opt for paid courses, in-person or online.
Media are used as a source of information by approximately 22% of respondents, while books, podcasts and Artificial Intelligence tools represent only 2% of the sources consulted. For João Guerra, CEO of Nickel Portugal, the results reveal a growing concern among Portuguese people to improve their financial knowledge to make more informed decisions, highlighting the importance of access to clear, simple information from reliable sources through different channels.
The study was conducted by Nickel in partnership with DATA E between March 16 and 19, 2026, based on a sample of 1,030 people residing in mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, aged between 18 and 64, geographically distributed according to the NUTS II classification.
