Bulgarians owed banks €19.6bn in home loans at the end of September, up 24.8% from a year earlier, according to the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

The total rose by €3.9bn in 12 months, from €15.7bn at the end of September 2025. Annual growth was 25.2% in August, so the pace is slowing slightly.

Consumer loans stand at €12.4bn, up 16% on the year. They are the only type of loan where growth is speeding up, though only a little. In August it was 15.9%.

All household borrowing, together with loans to non-profit groups that serve households, totals €33.1bn. That is 20.7% more than in September 2025. In August annual growth was 20.8%.

Firms are also borrowing more, but more slowly. Non-financial companies owe €29.401bn, up 12% on the year, against 13.7% a month earlier. Financial companies owe €5.177bn, up 8.9% on a year earlier. In August the rise was 9.7%.

Loans to the non-government sector, meaning households and firms, come to €67.6bn. Annual growth slowed to 15.8% from 16.7% in August.

That sum equals 52.7% of forecast gross domestic product, or just over half of what the economy is expected to produce in a year.