Romania's asset management industry reached a new record in September, with net assets in open-end investment funds approaching 32 billion lei, driven by sustained investor interest in regular and diversified investments, according to the Association of Fund Managers (AAF) data.
According to an AAF release, the number of investors in this segment exceeded 1 million.
Total net assets across 247 local and foreign open- and closed-end funds rose 1.8 percent in September to 55.9 billion lei (around 11 billion euros), representing a 15.6 percent increase since the start of the year.
According to AAF's monthly report, local open-end funds were among the main drivers of growth, rising 2.5 percent compared with the previous month and 20.1 percent year-to-date to 31.9 billion lei (6.3 billion euros). Equity and diversified funds saw substantial inflows, reflecting strong appetite for higher-yield investments.
In September, net inflows across the market totalled 238 million lei (46.9 million euros), reflecting investor confidence in fund managers' products. Net assets in foreign open-end funds distributed in Romania rose 3.1 percent to 2.4 billion lei (0.48 billion euros), while local alternative investment funds saw a slight increase of 0.7 percent, reaching 21.5 billion lei (4.2 billion euros). The total number of investors is approaching 1.1 million, according to Agerpres.
"The steady growth of managed assets reflects the maturing of Romania's local asset management market and rising investor confidence in investment funds. This trust is the result of the combined efforts of market professionals and financial education programmes, as well as the transparency and professionalism with which industry players operate. Increasingly, Romanians understand the benefits of diversified investments and their role in protecting and growing capital over the long term. The positive momentum in 2025 shows that investment funds have become a stable pillar of the Romanian economy and a genuine alternative to other savings methods," AAF president Horia Gusta said.
The AAF data also show that the five best-performing funds over the past 12 months recorded net annual returns between 24.5 percent and 31.9 percent. Over a 36-month horizon, the top five funds posted returns ranging from 112.7 percent to 124.4 percent, achieved over the last three years (compared to September 2022).
The Association of Fund Managers (AAF) is the professional, non-governmental organisation representing operators in Romania's collective investment sector, which brings together 23 investment management companies (SAIs), alternative investment fund managers (AFIAs), Fondul Proprietatea and four custodian banks. Since 2007, the AAF has been a member of the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA).
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