Until now, studies have shown that in Lithuania, women's financial literacy has long been slightly lower than that of men, but this trend is rapidly changing. Kamilė Dijokaitė, Head of Loan Product Sales at the next-generation bank Inbank, notes that more and more women are engaging in investing and actively taking interest in financial management.
Having spent some time analyzing data on how women borrow and invest, she sees a new trend emerging – women are keeping up with men and, in some cases, even surpassing them. The still-popular myth that women care less about their personal or household finances is largely unfounded. In terms of knowledge, expertise, priorities, and the desire to grow and live better, women are on the same level as men.
Lithuanian women – bolder investors
According to data gathered by K. Dijokaitė, women are increasingly choosing investing as a way to ensure long-term financial security. A clear growth is seen in the number of women investing in deposits – in 2023, 36% of investors were women, while in 2024, that figure rose to 41%.
She explains that women tend to start investing more cautiously, almost testing the waters, and then commit to longer-term investments: "The amounts invested by men and women in Lithuania are quite similar. For example, in Estonia, men invest significantly larger amounts than women. Or if we compare Lithuanian women with Czech women – where we also have a branch – we see that Lithuanian women are bolder, while Czech women tend to be more conservative."
According to Inbank’s data, in 2023, 51% of consumer loans were taken by women, and this number remained steady in 2024. This, according to Dijokaitė, reflects stable female engagement in financial decision-making and an understanding that consumer loans can be a tool to make larger purchases or meet personal needs: "Before borrowing, women are more likely than men to conduct thorough analysis, consult with specialists, and are less prone to impulsive borrowing. They also tend to repay loans slightly earlier than men."
Consumer loans can be used for various purposes – from healthcare expenses like dental services, to self-investment such as education or travel. In this regard, both men and women show similar behavior.
Women more often take care of home renovation
Still, female borrowing stands out in another way – women more frequently invest in the well-being of the family. Inbank’s data shows that in 2023 and 2024, women made up 53% of home renovation loan recipients. This indicates that women are actively involved in long-term financial decisions and more often take on the responsibility of caring for the household.
"They also often manage daily family expenses, savings, and budgeting – in other words, women are also financial managers within the family. Additionally, teaching financial literacy to children often falls to women, perhaps simply because they interact with children more frequently. Although I wouldn't draw a strong line here – men also take part in children's financial education, and the previously dominant social structure is changing rapidly. Men and women are becoming more similar in this regard," says Dijokaitė.
Investing in cars, too
Women’s growing financial confidence is also evident in car loans. According to Dijokaitė, in the car loan market, women accounted for 36% of all car loan recipients in 2023, and that number rose to 40% in 2024 – showing that having a comfortable, new vehicle is important to women as well: "This is yet another example proving that women are just as financially literate as men. And over time, I believe these trends will continue to even out."
