Key Takeaways
- • KBC Asset Management, the investment arm of KBC Group, managed close to €300bn in assets under management as of the end of Q4 2025, according to a contributed article by Chief Investor Support Officer Frank Van de Vel.
- • KBC Group reviewed its exclusion framework in 2025, allowing certain actively managed, non-structured Article 6 funds limited exposure to nuclear weapons producers domiciled in NATO countries or in Austria, Switzerland or Ireland.
- • Controversial weapons, including chemical or biological weapons, cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines, remain fully excluded under KBC Group's blacklist framework.
- • Affected investors were proactively informed and offered exits without exit fees (excluding applicable taxes) during defined periods.
- • KBC AM positions digital tools, including the Kate virtual assistant and a mobile-first distribution model, as central to onboarding savers into investing.
Summary
KBC Asset Management (KBC AM), the investment arm of the Belgium-headquartered KBC Group, outlines its approach to responsible investing and digital distribution in an article written by Frank Van de Vel, Chief Investor Support Officer. KBC Group serves approximately 13 million clients across Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. As of the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, KBC AM managed close to €300bn in assets under management. That total comprises roughly €127bn in direct client assets, €23bn in group assets and pension funds, around €82bn in fund-of-funds structures and approximately €67bn in investment advisory mandates. A significant share of direct client assets is invested in line with KBC's responsible investing framework.
The firm's digital strategy centres on its mobile banking application, which has evolved into the primary client interface, and on 'Kate,' the Group's virtual assistant. According to the article, KBC AM's distribution is predominantly mobile-first, and its client journey is designed to provide guidance at key decision points as savers transition into investing and their needs change over time.
The article also details a 2025 review of KBC Group's exclusion framework. Under clearly defined conditions, certain actively managed, non-structured Article 6 funds may now hold limited exposure to companies involved in nuclear weapons, provided those companies are domiciled in NATO countries or in Austria, Switzerland or Ireland. KBC states that controversial weapons, including chemical or biological weapons, cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines, remain fully excluded. Funds following KBC AM's Responsible Investing methodology continue to apply their own exclusion policies and are outside the scope of the change. The firm cites the view that credible defence capabilities, including nuclear deterrence, are regarded by governments as essential to collective security in the current geopolitical context. Investors in affected funds were notified proactively and offered the option to exit without exit fees, excluding applicable taxes, during defined periods.
The article characterises the piece as a corporate perspective rather than a market event. It notes that KBC AM was recognised as the 'Most Sustainable Asset Manager 2025 – Belgium' and was awarded for client service excellence. The firm frames its model as combining scale, responsibility and innovation to position itself as a long-term investment partner in its core European markets.
The firm's digital strategy centres on its mobile banking application, which has evolved into the primary client interface, and on 'Kate,' the Group's virtual assistant. According to the article, KBC AM's distribution is predominantly mobile-first, and its client journey is designed to provide guidance at key decision points as savers transition into investing and their needs change over time.
The article also details a 2025 review of KBC Group's exclusion framework. Under clearly defined conditions, certain actively managed, non-structured Article 6 funds may now hold limited exposure to companies involved in nuclear weapons, provided those companies are domiciled in NATO countries or in Austria, Switzerland or Ireland. KBC states that controversial weapons, including chemical or biological weapons, cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines, remain fully excluded. Funds following KBC AM's Responsible Investing methodology continue to apply their own exclusion policies and are outside the scope of the change. The firm cites the view that credible defence capabilities, including nuclear deterrence, are regarded by governments as essential to collective security in the current geopolitical context. Investors in affected funds were notified proactively and offered the option to exit without exit fees, excluding applicable taxes, during defined periods.
The article characterises the piece as a corporate perspective rather than a market event. It notes that KBC AM was recognised as the 'Most Sustainable Asset Manager 2025 – Belgium' and was awarded for client service excellence. The firm frames its model as combining scale, responsibility and innovation to position itself as a long-term investment partner in its core European markets.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.