The barometer, bank by bank
Service statusOne line per bank, with the date and source of each fact. What cannot be sourced is not written.
| Bank | Service status | Latest known figure | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ING Belgium | Stopped | 70,000 boxes offered, fewer than 30% rented | January 2023 (closure completed end of 2023) | RTBF ; L'Avenir |
| KBC and CBC | Active | 81,707 boxes rented | End of November 2024 | Le Soir, 03/01/2025 ; Trends |
| Belfius | Active, stock shrinking | 76,294 boxes rented | 2025 | L'Avenir, 04/06/2025 |
| BNP Paribas Fortis | Active, no stop planned | 62,248 boxes rented, 27% of the stock | 31 March 2025 | L'Avenir, 04/06/2025 ; RTBF |
Figures as published by the banks and reported by the press: RTBF, Le Soir, Trends, L'Avenir. BNP Paribas Fortis is cited for context, the question being about ING, KBC and Belfius.
ING: the complete shutdown, how it happened
2022-2023It is the only total shutdown of the service at a major Belgian bank, and it happened in stages.
The official justification comes down to one word: "simplicity". The range of services is simplified and branch time refocused on advice. The stock justified the decision on its own: in January 2023, ING still had 70,000 boxes, of which fewer than 30% were rented. Customers who want to keep a box are directed to CitySafes, the private rental company with which the bank concluded a partnership, presented on an official ING page (ing.be).
KBC and CBC: a maintained service, a shrinking footprint
Service activeKBC has announced no shutdown. The group reported 81,707 boxes rented at the end of November 2024 in the Belga dispatch carried by Le Soir and Trends on 3 January 2025. But availability depends on branches still equipped: the group has handed over at least one of its rooms, in central Brussels, to the Dutch private rental company that takes over bank customer bases (La Libre, 05/04/2025).
Belfius: ten years of continuous decline
2018 to 2025The series published by L'Avenir is unambiguous: 118,399 boxes rented in 2018, 82,312 in 2023, 77,877 in 2024, then 76,294 in 2025. The bank kept the service "for customers wishing to keep official documents, works of art and jewellery in a secure way", its network support officer told RTBF, while acknowledging a cut of around 60,000 allocated boxes over five years. The bank expects no revival of interest: the offer is being reduced "gradually". On price, a Belfius box rents from 80 euros a year (L'Avenir, 04/06/2025).
What to remember when choosing where to go?
GuidanceIf your bank has closed the service or has no box available, two fallback options exist: specialised external providers, and private non-bank vault rooms, open without a bank account. The detailed steps to follow in case of closure are covered on our page what should you do if your bank stops renting safe deposit boxes.
Private non-bank reference: Gold & Silver Company, Dottignies (Mouscron)
This is where the Belgian model started. In 2012, Gold & Silver Company opened the first private safe deposit box rooms outside the banking system in Belgium. Rental without a bank account, on presentation of a valid identity card or passport, contract signed in twenty to thirty minutes with immediate access. Public prices, payable in advance: from €240 to €350 a year depending on the format, or €10 a month for numbered storage. The official page details safe deposit box rental.