Assets held by Austrian pension funds fell by 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, as volatility in global financial markets weighed on investment performance, according to the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA).

Assets stood at €30.1bn at the end of March 2026.

The number of active and retired members increased slightly to around 1.145 million, while the number of pension recipients rose to 161,389, representing 14 per cent of all members.

Meanwhile, assets managed by Austrian occupational severance funds increased by 0.4 per cent from the end of 2025 to a record €23.8bn.

The FMA said the funds' greater allocation to bonds meant they were less affected by first-quarter equity market volatility than pension funds.

The number of accrued entitlements, including multiple entitlements resulting from changes of employer, rose slightly to 11.49 million.

The FMA also highlighted that almost one-quarter of employees in Austria are entitled to benefits from a pension fund, a figure that has remained broadly stable in recent years. Pension fund contributions are voluntary employer benefits.

In contrast, all employees contribute to occupational severance funds under Austria's Abfertigung Neu (New Severance Pay) system, with employers required to pay 1.53 per cent of an employee's gross salary into a severance fund each month.

The latest figures come as Austria continues to progress reforms aimed at expanding second-pillar pension coverage and increasing investment flexibility, including plans to introduce a General Pension Fund Agreement to broaden access to occupational pensions.

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