Stock Trading Demographics in 2026

Written by Naylyan Nazifova

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Naylyan Nazifova

Naylyan Nazifova is a Financial Research and Platform Testing Analyst at BestBrokers.com, where she reviews and tests online brokers across forex, stocks, investing and personal finance. Her experience in online trading content and broker analysis helps readers understand how platforms perform in practice, including their trading tools, fees, ease of use and suitability for different types of investors.

, | Updated: July 27, 2026

In 2026, the face of stock trading is no longer defined solely by Wall Street brokers in suits or exclusive financial hubs. The modern trader is just as likely to be a 23-year-old in Mumbai, a mother of two investing from her Toronto condo, or a college student trading via a smartphone app.

Stock trading has become a global phenomenon, thanks to advances in technology, a diverse range of participants, and seamless access to markets. Additionally, investing is no longer confined to institutions or high-net-worth individuals. Retail trading, once a marginal activity, now accounts for a significant share of the daily trading volume.

Financial education on social media has played a big role in the development of stock trading, not only broadening participation but also creating new demographic trends. This page offers a comprehensive overview of stock trading demographics across key global regions, including the US, the UK, Japan, Canada, and Australia. Whether you are an investor, a financial professional, or simply curious about who shapes the stock market, this article will help you understand the makeup of modern stock traders by age, gender, region, experience level, education, and investment behavior.

Why Do Demographics Matter?

Understanding who trades stocks and how is more than just a matter of statistics. It offers insight into how economic power is shifting, how financial literacy is evolving, and how different types of traders manage risk. Here are some examples of how demographics shape the market:

• Countries with younger average populations often signal a higher risk appetite and faster adoption of digital and algorithmic trading platforms.
• A growing share of female investors indicates a closing gender wealth gap and expanding financial inclusivity in the local market.
• The ratio of mobile and desktop trading reveals how technology is driving accessibility, especially across emerging markets.

These indicators help identify where demand for new financial products may be rising, where market regulation may need to evolve, and where economic inclusion is improving or falling behind.

From the explosive growth of retail investing in India to the quiet but steady increase of female traders in the UK and Canada, the global stock trading landscape is in constant motion. Technological innovation and generational shifts are driving an unprecedented surge in market participation worldwide. Let us explore the demographic data across different regions.

Global Overview of Stock Trading Demographics

Stock trading has entered a new era shaped not just by high finance but by smartphones, social media, and a new generation of self-directed investors. Due to technological advancements, easier access to markets, and accessible online education, millions of everyday people have started investing on their own. While institutional trading still dominates the overall volume in many markets, retail investors now play a growing role in shaping global market movements. Thanks to user-friendly platforms, commission-free apps, and rising financial literacy, the global population of retail stock traders has grown rapidly over the past decade.

1. Participation & Volume

   • The latest official release from 2024 of the Global Retail Investor Outlook, a report created jointly by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Boston Consulting Group, and Robinhood Markets, identifies a broadening of participation as more young people, individuals from emerging markets, and women began trading in 2024-2025. Based on a survey of 13,000 respondents across 13 major markets, the report explores how personal investing can be leveraged to achieve long-term financial objectives. WEF officially schedules the release of the next edition for December 2026.
   • According to the latest available data from the Federal Reserve Board’s triennial Survey of Consumer Finances, the U.S. households’ participation in capital markets in 2022 stood at 58.1%. This represented the highest rate of stock market participation recorded in the history of the SCF, up from 52.7% in 2019.

2. Age and Gender

   • Around 40% of day traders are aged 25 to 34 years old, highlighting the strong youth presence.
   • The World Economic Forum Global Retail Investor findings state that women make up around 30%-35% of retail stock investors globally. According to projections, women are set to control nearly 40% of global investable wealth by 2030.

3. Education and Experience

   • According to Broadridge’s analysis of U.S. retail investors, over 51% of investors lack a college degree, marking a shift: non-college-educated participants have grown to a majority since 2022. However, college-educated investors hold higher median assets, about $73,000 versus $28,000 for high-school grads.
   • Around one-quarter of active day traders come from a finance or investment-related industry background, signaling a mix of professional and newcomer participation.

4. Technology & Behavior

   • Approximately 75% of retail trades globally are now executed via smartphone apps, reflecting a strong mobile-first shift in retail trading behavior.
   • The year 2024 saw a 47% increase in trading app downloads, with brands like Robinhood, eToro, and Trading 212 attracting millions of new mobile users.
   • According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Retail Investor Outlook, 30% of Gen Z began investing during early adulthood, as opposed to 15% of Millennials, 9% of Gen X, and 6% of Baby Boomers. A combined 41% of Gen Z and millennials say they are open to AI-powered trading advisors, showing generational openness to tech-driven financial tools.

The U.S.

• 482,200 active professional traders (2025)
• Approximately 485,670 active professional traders (2026)
• Expected 7.4% growth in trader roles by 2032

As of 2026, stock trading in the U.S. has evolved into a widespread economic activity accessible to millions thanks to technology and advanced platforms. There are approximately 165 million stock traders across the country, corresponding to approximately 62% of the population (up from 61% in 2023). The 2025 Modern Wealth Survey conducted by Charles Schwab reports similar numbers, suggesting that stocks remain core holdings among US investors (64%), followed by mutual funds (41%), and bonds (37%). The average trader is 43 years old, and the profession remains largely male-dominated, with over 84% of traders being men. Female participation, however, is slowly increasing, with 15.5% of women trading stocks. Education plays a significant role, with nearly three-quarters holding at least a bachelor’s degree and about 45% having a background in finance.
Technology is shaping how people trade: most retail investors use mobile platforms, with many exploring AI and automated tools. Younger traders tend to show a higher risk tolerance than their older counterparts. The majority report high flexibility and decent income satisfaction, though opinions on stress and job meaning are more mixed.

Total Trader Count (2026)

• An estimated 485,670 professional stock traders in the U.S.
• 35,500+ new jobs expected by 2032
• 4,500 stock traders to retire by 2032

Source: Gallup

Gender Breakdown (for Professional Stock Traders)

• 84.5% male, 15.5% female stock traders (2021)
• The gender gap has narrowed slightly year-over-year.

Source: www.zippia.com

Source: www.zippia.com

Women make 90 cents for every dollar men earn.

• Male Income (2021): $109,148
• Female Income (2021): $98,091

As of 2026, the financial sector still maintains one of the largest gender wage gaps in the United States, with female stock traders consistently earning roughly 90 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts due to structural disparities in capital allocation and performance-based bonuses.

Age Distribution (for Professional Stock Traders)

• Average stock trader age: 43 years (2021)
• The largest segment is 40+ years old (58%)

Source: www.zippia.com

Stock Trader Age Breakdown

Experience & Education 2021 (of Professional Stock Traders)

• As many as 74% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• High school graduates account for a meager 1% of U.S. stock traders.
• Around 45% come from finance/investing backgrounds.
• Traders holding a master’s degree are the highest earners, with annual income of $147,864, followed by doctorate degree holders with annual income of $135,169, and bachelor degree holders with annual income of $116,291.

Source: www.zippia.com

Platform Usage & Devices (2020-2031)

• The US online trading platform market is worth $3.41 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to $4.82 billion in the next six years, increasing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 5.92%.
• The market size rose to $3.61 billion in 2026.
• Mobile apps captured 54% of the country’s online trading platform market in 2024. The share dropped to 53.2% in 2025.
• Desktop platforms saw a 7.74% surge in CAGR last year, as frequent traders reverted to larger screens due to better functionality and greater convenience.
• Cloud solutions held a 61.40% share of the US online trading platform market in 2025 and are projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.27%.

Source: Mordor Intelligence

What Companies Do Professional U.S. Stock Traders Work for?

• 65% of professional stock traders in the country favor working for private companies, whereas 29% are occupied in the public sector.
• A minuscule 2% prefer to work for the U.S. government.
• Around 24% of U.S. professional stock traders work for companies with 1,000 to 10,000 employees. Another 23% belong to mega-corporations exceeding 10,000 staff, while 19% operate within mid-sized businesses of 50 to 100 employees.

Professional U.S. Stock Traders’ Job Preferences

Regional Highlights & Personality Traits (for Professional Traders)

• Racial Demographics: 66.7% White, 12.2% Asian, 11.3% Hispanic, 5.5% Black (2024), 4.1% Unknown, and 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native.
• Personality Traits: Above-average in competitiveness, extroversion, and resilience

Source: www.zippia.com

SEC-licensed broker Charles Schwab conducted a more recent survey into the investment habits of Americans and released the results in October 2025. Said survey indicates that more than half of US residents (54%) are currently investing, with 64% of all investors choosing stocks as their core holdings. Most investing Americans (32%) claim their primary motivation is to increase their capital, followed by 26% who invest to save for retirement and 17% who seek financial independence.

The UK

• As of 2025, 54% of UK adults have invested (around 29 million)
• In 2026, this figure reached 58% (approximately 31.7 million); 26% currently own stocks/shares (approximately 14 million)
• FTSE100 total return: 11.4% in 2024
• FTSE100 total return: 25.8% in 2025

The United Kingdom’s retail investing scene has seen remarkable growth and diversification over the past few years. The latest data from 2026 show that 58% of UK adults have invested as of 2026, an estimated 31.7 million people, up from 54% in 2025 and 51% in 2024. The increase has been driven by a surge in digital ‘app-only’ brokers, which have lowered access barriers for young people and lower-income households.

Broader economic trends have also shaped participation. Historically low interest rates pushed investors toward equities and heightened public awareness around sustainable trading.

Age demographics show that investing is no longer dominated by older participants: nearly two-thirds of Gen Z (born 1997-2012) and 66% of Millennials (born 1981-1996) have made investments, with even 50% of Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) taking part.

In terms of regions, Londoners are the most active investors in the country, with 3 in 4, or around 74%, of the city’s population having investments. This is higher than the national average, though other regions are not far behind. In the South West, 62% of people are investors, followed by 60% in Scotland and 57% in the West Midlands, East of England, and East Midlands. Northern Ireland and the South West have 55% of investors each. Wales has 52% of investors. In Yorkshire and The Humber and the North East, the number is 49%.

Total Trader Count

• 2026: 58% of UK adults, up from 54% in 2025 and 51% in 2024.
• 41% have invested in stocks and shares in 2026.

UK Adult Investment Overview (2026)

UK Adult Investment Growth

Age Distribution (2026)

• Investment participation is strong across all age groups, with 69% of Gen Z (1997-2012) and 66% of Millennials (1981-1996) now engaged in the market.
• Young adults (aged 18 to 34) tend to invest a larger share of their income, frequently favoring high-risk, high-reward investments.
• Generation X (1965-1980) is the least likely group to invest, with 49% being engaged in the market.
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964) have 50% of investors, and the Silent Generation (1928-1945) has 78% of investors.

Source: www.finder.com

Source: www.finder.com

Gender Breakdown (2025)

• 39% of men and 24% of women have invested in 2025.
• Around 41% of men aged 18 to 34 have invested in 2025, compared to 20% of female investors from the same age group.

Source: www.boringmoneybusiness.co.uk

Source: www.boringmoneybusiness.co.uk

Platform Usage & Devices (2025)

• Approximately 1.6 million adult Brits, representing 3% of the total adult population, were using a trading app in May 2024, an FCA survey shows.
• App usage was notably higher among British men (5%) compared to women (1%).
• A recent Investment Trends report from July 2025 reveals that a record 2.75 million adults in the UK are now active online investors, using platforms for trading listed investments or holding unlisted funds. Low fees, platform usability, and access to international shares are the most important factors for the surveyed online investors.

Device Usage for Stock Trading Apps

Source: FCA Financial Lives 2024 Survey

Assets UK Trading App Users Invest In

Source: www.investingreviews.co.uk

Trading Behavior & Risk

• Market participation is highest at the youngest generation (69%) and the oldest generation (78%).
• In 2025, the gender investment gap in the UK widened to £678 billion, with men holding significantly more assets than women. Male investing increased particularly among the 18–34 and 25–44 age groups.
• Buying physical shares is the most common form of investing (26%), followed by bonds (15%), index funds (14%), and cryptocurrencies (12%).
• Contracts for difference (CFDs) are the least popular financial instrument in the UK, as only 8% of investors prefer them.

Metric	Statistic	Notes/Comments
UK adults who have actively chosen ethical or ESG investments	4%	As of the 2025 survey
Consumers who will stop buying from companies harming the environment	76%	Reflects growing consumer environmental concern
Consumers more loyal to companies supporting social/environmental causes	88%	Indicates impact of ESG initiatives on brand loyalty
Publicly traded companies with an ESG initiative (2020)	88%	Reflects corporate adoption of ESG practices
Executives admitting to greenwashing instances	58%	Highlights challenges with ESG authenticity
Largest companies reporting significant climate risk exposure	80%	Indicates material risk from climate change
Millennial investors involved in ESG investing	14%	Highest among age groups for ethical investing

Source: www.finder.com/uk

Regional Highlights / Notables

• Stocks are the most preferred investment type among UK investors, with 26% having current investments.
• In 2024, 88 firms were delisted from the LSE, the highest delisting rate since 2009.
• The number of companies trading on the LSE stood at 1,545 as of mid-2026, reflecting a multi-year low for the exchange following the recent wave of corporate delistings.
• British women held £470 billion in investments compared to £1.15 trillion for male investors as of 2025.
• Londoners are the most active investors, as 74% of the capital’s population claims to have invested.

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Japan

• The number of Nippon Individual Savings Accounts (NISA) accounts exceeded 19 million in late 2023, up 46% since 2019. This number increased to 26.47 million accounts in March 2025. By the end of December 2025, their number reached 28.26 million. The Government’s target is set at 34 million accounts by the end of December 2027.
• The trading value of the Japanese ETF market reached ¥75.856 trillion in the year ending March 2025, recording daily averages of around ¥310.9 billion. The daily averages for the entire first half of the year were slightly lower at ¥288.5 billion. Data for Fiscal Year 2025 (the year ending March 31, 2026) indicates that the total Japanese ETF trading value jumped to ¥89.661 trillion, with the full-year daily average at ¥367.5 billion.
• Retail investors purchased ¥819.3 billion in domestic equities and futures contracts in a single week between January 6 and January 10, 2025, for a nine-month high.

Since that early-2025 surge, Japanese retail trading activity has accelerated dramatically, hitting all-time highs driven by structural leverage and a booming bull market. Daily trading volumes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Prime Market remain high, averaging ¥10.14 trillion in the first half of 2026, with single-month daily averages peaking as high as ¥12.97 trillion leading into July.

Foreign investment also remains significant, as Japanese investors bought a record ¥3.27 trillion in overseas stocks in April 2025, representing the highest monthly level seen in two decades. These recent trends highlight the expanding role of retail investors in Japan’s equity markets and their increasing appetite for a broad range of financial instruments.

Total Trader Count

• In March 2025, the number of non‑unique individual shareholder accounts in Japan reached 83.59 million, up by 9.1 million (12%) from the previous year.
• Individual and non-corporate accounts held ¥131.2 trillion in equity market value, representing 17.6% of all shares.
• Individual investors made up 97.8% of all registered shareholder accounts.

Total Trader Count in Japan (2020–2025)

Year	Total Individual Shareholder Accounts
March 2020	56.7 million
March 2021	59.8 million
March 2022	64.6 million
March 2023	69.8 million
March 2024	74.45 million
March 2025	83.59 million
March 2026	91.98 million

Source: Official data released by Nippon

Gender Breakdown (December 2024)

• Male investors – 79%
• Female investors – 19.2%
• For context, a 2018 Fidelity survey of 12,010 employed Japanese nationals reported that 40.1% of men and 23.5% of women invest.
• This demographic profile holds true as of July 2026.

Japan Retail Investor Gender Breakdown (Monex 2024)

**This breakdown shows the gender distribution of Monex’s respondents in a survey conducted between December 12 and December 19, 2024. Survey results were released in mid-January 2025.

Source: Monex Global Retail Investor Survey

Age Distribution & Experience

• Retail trading in Japan is heavily skewed toward older investors, with over half (50.5%) of active retail investors aged 60 and above.
• Younger cohorts (under 40), while less represented in terms of trading volumes, are driving growth in mobile and ESG-oriented investing.

Source: www.nomuraholdings.com

Average Financial Assets Held by Age Group (in ¥ millions)

Source: Japanese Securities Dealers Association (JSDA) Fact Book 2024

Experience & Education (2023)

• Financial education in school was rare; only 7.1% reported receiving any formal financial instruction during their school years.
• 13.7% cited video-sharing platforms (e.g., YouTube) as their primary financial learning source; only 5.0% had attended traditional school/university lectures.

Educational Data (2023)

Data Point	Percentage / Value
Not interested in stocks	55.1%
Lack sufficient knowledge	27.2%
Deposit holders who see securities investment as difficult	54.5%
Percentage of correct answers to the financial literacy quiz	55.7%
Received financial education at school (2022)	7.1%
Young people (18-29) who received financial education at home	25%
Willingness to pay for expert financial advice	3.2%
Willingness to receive free expert advice	36.6%
Not willing to receive expert financial advice	23.7%

Source: Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI)

Education Level	Stock Market Participation (%) in 2021	Financial Literacy (Score or % Correct)
Less than High School	~5-10%	Low
High School Graduate	~15-25%	Moderate
Junior College	~30-40%	Moderate-High
University Graduate	~50-60%	High
Graduate Degree	~60-70%	Very High

Source: www.sciencedirect.com

Online Securities Trading in Japan (2024)

• The number of online accounts held at Japanese securities brokers rose from 39.98 million at the end of December 2023 to 44.07 million at the end of December 2024, marking a 10.23% year-over-year increase.
• However, the number of newly opened online securities trading accounts declined by 37.1% year-over-year, from 526,616 to 331,265 in December 2024.

Year	Number of Online Securities Trading Accounts
December 2023	39,986,172
December 2024	44,078,956

Source: Japanese Securities Dealers Association (JSDA)

Newly Registered Online Trading Accounts

Year	Number of Newly Created Online Securities Trading Accounts
December 2023	526,616
December 2024	331,265

Source: Japanese Securities Dealers Association (JSDA)

Trading Behavior & Risk (Japan, 2024)

• Approximately 50% of Japanese retail investors believed that current market conditions required some level of risk aversion, indicating a moderate level of caution.
• 75% of Japanese retail investors did not take risk-averse actions such as shifting investments to safer assets in 2023, suggesting a preference for maintaining their investment strategies despite market volatility.

Japan Stock Holdings by Investor Type (FY2024)

Investor Type	Share of Total (%), FY2023	Change from FY2022 (pp)	Share of Total (%), FY2024	Change from FY2023 (pp)
Foreign Investors	31.8%	+1.7	32.4%	+0.6
Corporations	19.3%	-0.3	18.7%	-0.6
Individual Investors	16.9%	-0.7	17.3%	+0.4
Financial Institutions	13.8%	-1.5	13.5%	-0.3
Investment Trusts	10.4%	+0.8	10.7%	+0.3

Source: Japanese Securities Dealers Association (JSDA) Fact Book 2025

Percentage of investors answering “Yes” to the question “Do you think the current market conditions require some degree of avoidance of risky assets?” in 2024

What specific risk avoidance measures have you implemented? (2024)

Source: Monex Global Retail Investor SurveyRegional Highlights / Notables

• In February 2024, the Nikkei 225 closed at 39,098.68, eclipsing its previous record from December 1989 (38,915.87) and marking the first such milestone in 35 years. The index hit an all-time high of around 44,185 points on September 9, 2025 after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation a day earlier.
• As of December 2024, the number of online securities trading accounts was 44.07 million.
• As of March 2025, there were 26.47 million NISA accounts in Japan, representing a 14% increase from the previous period.

Nikkei 225 Performance Highlights (2026)

Metric	Value	Date/Period
Year-End Close	50,339.48 points	Dec 30, 2025
Annual Change	+28.07%	2025 vs 2024
Record High	73,007 points	June, 2026
Start of Year Level	~51,833 points	Jan 2026
Largest Single-Day Loss	>4,400 points (~12%)	Aug 5, 2024
Largest Single-Day Gain	3,320 points	May, 2026

Source: www.english.kyodonews.net

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Canada

Self-directed and digital trading participation in Canada has expanded rapidly since 2019. According to recent findings from the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), 45% of Canadian retail investors now utilize self-directed trading platforms, and roughly 1 in 8 Canadians (12%) adopt a hybrid investing strategy, combining retail trading accounts with professional advisor guidance. Among individuals over 65, 61% reported owning traditional lower-risk financial assets like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, while only 50% of those under 35 did.

Canada’s retail investing ecosystem is rapidly shifting toward self-directed, digital participation, mirroring global trends in finance. Canadian investors, especially younger ones, are increasingly managing their investments on their own. Notably, 53% of Canadian investors use social media for investment advice and information, focusing on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, rising to 82% among 18 to 24-year-old investors. Additionally, 45% of investors say they have a self-directed account. However, in 2024, nearly 22% reported exposure to potential investment fraud, often linked to high-risk online schemes.

Canada is seeing a diversification of the products that retail investors engage with. ETFs have seen explosive growth, now managing over 500 billion Canadian dollars in assets, up 100% since 2020.

Total Market Participation in Canada (2024/2025)

• In 2024, about 54% of Canadians identified as investors, meaning they hold some form of investment, such as mutual funds, term deposits, GICs, or publicly traded stocks. This translates roughly to over half of the adult population (around 22 million) in Canada actively holding investments.
• 48% of Canadians reported investing money annually in early 2024, while 56% expressed confidence in managing their own investments (rising to 75% among actual investors).

Metric	Year / Period	Value
Canadians holding any investments (stocks, ETFs, pensions, mutual funds)	Jan 2024	54% (22 million people)
Canadians investing annually	Feb 2024	48%
Canadians confident in managing their own investments	Feb 2024	56% (75% among current investors)
Canadian population (total)	April 2026	41.41M
Social media penetration (adult population)	2026	98.1%
Internet penetration	2026	95.1%
ETF assets under management (AUM)	End of 2025	CA$714 billion (+37.57%)
Net ETF inflows	Full year 2025	CA$125.8 billion
Canadians planning to contribute to RRSP	2025 tax year	41%

Source: www.datareportal.com, Ipsos, CIRO, Edward Jones, National Bank of Canada

Gender Breakdown (2024)

• Women investors generally favor lower-risk products like mutual funds and ETFs, while men more often invest in individual stocks and higher-risk assets.
• 45% of men and 30% of women report having a self-directed investment account, showing a notable gender gap in DIY investing.
• Most new self-directed investors who have opened accounts within the past three years are women (44%) compared to new male investors (39%).
• Only 6% of female investors are willing to take on significant risk, compared to 12% of male investors.

Source: www.ciro.ca

Age Breakdown (2024)

• Investors under 35 are the most active in managing their own portfolios, with 53% holding self-directed investment accounts.
• Millennials and Gen Z investors show higher interest in trading individual stocks and cryptocurrencies compared to older generations.

(2024)

Category	Under 35	35–54	55–64	65+
Self-Directed Accounts (%)	53%	45%	27%	21%
Use of Financial Advisors (%)	50%	54%	57%	66%

Source: www.ciro.ca

Most Popular Investment Products by Age Group (2024)

Investment Product	18-24	25-34	35–44	45–54	55–64	65+
Term Deposits / GICs	35%	36%	35%	40%	45%	53%
Individually Held Stocks	46%	45%	42%	34%	31%	34%
Bonds	27%	22%	19%	15%	13%	13%
Mutual Funds	45%	48%	52%	55%	60%	55%
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)	27%	33%	27%	25%	20%	20%
Crypto-Assets	33%	33%	26%	15%	8%	4%

Source: www.securities-administrators.ca

Education and Experience

• A survey conducted by the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) between February 11 and 26, 2026 revealed that 71% of all respondents said they had little to no knowledge of responsible investing, up from 66% the previous year. Furthermore, those saying they knew a “fair bit” about RI fell from 28% to 23%.
• 73% of respondents expressed a desire for financial advisors or institutions to be required to ask them about value-aligned RI options. However, only 28% reported that their financial advisor or service provider had ever asked them such questions.
• Despite these barriers, younger investors (aged 18–34) showed the highest adoption rate, with 40% holding responsible investments, compared to 29% among ages 35–54 and 17% among ages 55+

Information Sources (2024)

Information Source	% of Investors
Professional Financial Advisor	42%
Banks and financial institutions	39%
Friends, family, and personal networks	38%
Financial news and investing blogs or websites	15%
Social media platforms	12%
Print and digital news publications	12%
Online discussion forums and investor communities	11%
Television	12%
Trading and investment apps	8%
Newsletters or investor digests	7%
Financial influencers	5%
Other sources	2%
Unsure	8%

Source: www.ciro.ca

Investor Experience by Frequency of Trading or Account Age (2024)

Investor Experience	% of Respondents
Opened first investment account within the past 3 years	40% of DIY investors
DIY investors under 35 with recent accounts	61%
Inactive investors (no trades in the last 3 years)	18% of all investors
Investors owning only GICs/term deposits	7%

Source: www.ciro.ca

Education Level	Non-Investor	Inactive investor	Term deposits/GICs	Advised-only	Advised and DIY	DIY only
High school diploma or less	59%	10%	3%	16%	3%	8%
College/Vocational	41%	10%	4%	23%	7%	14%
University	29%	9%	4%	27%	12%	19%

Source: www.ciro.ca

Average experience of Canadian stock investors (2024)

Source: www.ciro.ca

Platform Usage & Devices

• As many as 40% of Canadians prefer to use an online stock trading platform.
• Mobile leads in device usage, with nearly 50% of internet traffic in Canada coming from mobile devices as of May 2025.
• The Canadian algorithmic trading market generated revenue of US$1,261.4 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$2,697.4 million by 2030.
• Around 38% of Canadian investors switch to online trading platforms to reduce their transactional costs.

Generation	Birth Years	% Using Online Trading Platforms (2023)
Younger Millennials	1987–1996	53%
Older Millennials	1977–1986	42%
Gen X	1967–1976	33%
Boomers	1957–1966	22%

Source: www.finder.com

Source: www.gs.statcounter.com

Trading Behavior & Risk

• In 2024, 53% of Canadian investors reported using social media platforms for investment advice, up from 35% in both 2012 and 2020.
• Canadian investors exhibit diverse trading behaviors, with about 30% trading actively, a majority adopting moderate risk profiles, and younger investors more likely to embrace high-risk assets.
• While 9% of investors say they are willing to take significant risk, nearly 1 in 4 (24%) of these risk-tolerant investors would still sell during a major market downturn, according to the 2024 CIRO Investor Survey.

Year	% Using Social Media for Investing Info	% Reporting Investment Opportunities Seen on Social Media
2012	35%	24%
2017	43%	27%
2020	35%	29%
2024	53%	46%

Source: www.securities-administrators.ca

Risk Tolerance Level & Percentage of Investors (2024)




Source: www.ciro.ca

Regional Highlights / Notables

• Ontario and Quebec remain the largest hubs of investment activity, collectively accounting for over half (61%) of all self-directed accounts. These provinces benefit from higher urbanization, stronger financial literacy initiatives, and greater access to digital investing platforms.
• Across all regions, urban centers consistently report higher rates of self-directed account ownership and use of social media for investment advice compared to rural areas, where reliance on financial advisors remains comparatively higher.
• ETF assets under management, having doubled since 2020 to over CA$500 billion, are expected to sustain strong inflows as investors seek cost-effective and flexible portfolio options.
• Canada’s exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry surpassed $880 billion in net assets (net AUM) by mid-2026.

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Australia

• ESG and crypto investing are growing in interest, as women investors outperformed men in 2024.
• Millennials (45%) and Gen Z (36%) are more likely to dip their toes into investing than older age groups.
• According to the 2025 First Half Australia Online Investing Report, retail investors shifted away from US markets due to geopolitical and trade uncertainties, driving net buying intentions for domestic Australian equities to more than twice that of US shares.

Australia continues to demonstrate a mature, tech-savvy, and increasingly diversified retail investment landscape. As of 2025, approximately 34% of Australian adults, around 7.1 million people, hold shares in public companies. Research shows that 41% of Australian men invest, compared to just 27% of women.

Retail participation keeps expanding. Almost 1.36 million Australians made at least one equity trade in the year up to May 2025, up from 1.28 million in mid-2024. The adoption of technology is reshaping the market. As many as 22% of Australians use online trading apps, while 59% do not use digital platforms at all.

Investor confidence remains high as the people trading online in November 2024 expect a 6.3% annual return, up from 5.3% earlier in the year.

Total Trader Count

• Approximately 7.1 million Australian adults (around 34% of the population) own shares as of early 2025, indicating sustained growth in retail investor participation.
• Around 1.36 million Australians executed at least one online cash-equity trade up to May 2025, up from 1.28 million in May 2024.
• As of mid-2026, the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) has more than 2,000 listed equity issuers, with AU$3.26 trillion in total market capitalization, consolidating its position as one of the world’s largest exchanges. More than 450 ETFs are currently trading on the Aussie exchange.

Number of active investors in thousands

Date	Total Active Investors	Continued Trading	Dormant Clients who Started Trading Again	New Investors	Stopped Trading
Jun-20	1,060	644	151	265	106
Dec-20	1,251	977	104	170	83
May-21	1,430	1,180	102	148	70
Nov-21	1,520	1,272	108	140	158
May-22	1,470	1,270	98	102	250
Nov-22	1,510	1,291	118	101	179
May-23	1,280	1,087	117	76	423
Nov-23	1,220	1,034	115	71	246
May-24	1,280	1,023	137	120	197
Nov-24	1,330	1,129	125	76	151
May-25	1,360	1,158	150	52	172

Source: investmenttrends.com

Gender Breakdown:

• Around 41% of Australian men and 27% of Australian women held investments beyond their home or superannuation savings in 2023-2024. These figures include shares, ETFs, and other investment vehicles.
• The ASX reported a significant increase in the number of female investors, estimating that 4.3 million women held investments in 2023, which was up by about 600,000 since 2020.
• Female investors achieved returns 1.7 percentage points higher than men in 2024, based on an analysis of 19,400 brokerage accounts.

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Year	Female Investors (millions)
2020	3.7 Million
2023	4.3 Million

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Gender	Average Portfolio Value (2023)
Men	AU$667,000
Women	AU$413,000

Source: ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Age Breakdown

• Baby Boomers lead generational shareholdings, with an average of $37,826 invested in shares as of 2025.
• According to the ASX Investor Study 2023, the average age of current on‑exchange investors is 47 years.

Age Group	% of On‑Exchange Investors (2023)
18-24	9%
25-49	49%
50-64	23%
65+	20%

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

How much does the average Australian investor have in growth assets? (2024)

Investment balance	Total	Baby boomers (1946 – 1964)	Gen X (1965 – 1980)	Millennials (1981 – 1996)	Gen Z (1997 – 2012)
$0	43.3%	45.4%	46.7%	37.4%	48.9%
$1 – $999	10.2%	7.6%	7.7%	12.4%	11.7%
$1,000 – $4,999	10.6%	5.4%	9.3%	11.1%	16.5%
$5,000 – $19,999	11.1%	5.9%	8.9%	15.7%	9.6%
$20,000 – $49,999	8.2%	7.6%	7.3%	10.8%	4.8%
$50,000 – $99,999	6.0%	9.2%	6.9%	3.9%	5.9%
$100,000 and over	10.6%	18.9%	13.1%	8.8%	2.7%

Source: InfoChoice’s State of Aussies’ Savings Survey Report

Education and Experience

• The portfolios of Australian investors with over 10 years of experience are nearly twice as large as those of people who have invested for less than a decade.
• Investors with higher education levels tend to hold more diversified portfolios and show greater engagement with digital trading platforms.

Experience Length	Median Portfolio Value
5–10 years	AU$430,000
10+ years	AU$850,000

Source: www.asx.com.au

Metric	Value
Median Portfolio Value	AU$170,000
% with Diversified Portfolio	44%
% Who Prefer Stable Returns	48%
% Who Began Investing in the Past 2 Years	22%

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Platform Usage and Devices

• Around 70% of Australian investors place trades through online brokers or digital trading platforms, continuing a dominant trend observed since 2020. As few as 15% depend on their financial advisers to execute trades, which is a slightly higher proportion than the 12% who use a full-service broker.
• Among digital investors, mobile trading is increasingly popular, especially among younger and male users. Mobile apps now account for nearly half of all retail trades on digital platforms. Notably, 24% of men and 19% of women report using mobile trading apps regularly.

Method of Trade Placement	2020	2023	Notes
Online broker/trading platform	72%	70%	Dominant method in both years
Financial planner/adviser	16%	15%	Slight decrease
Listing prospectus (direct purchase)	12%	12%	No change
Full-service broker	15%	12%	Small decrease
Micro-investing app	–	6%	Small decline
Employee share scheme	5%	6%	Small increase
Robo-advice tool	–	5%	Use cut by more than half
Other	2%	2%	No change

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023


Trading Behavior & Risk

• In 2023, 67% of Australian investors preferred stable or guaranteed returns, up from 54% in 2020. Meanwhile, only 33% were willing to accept moderate or high variability for the potential of greater returns, down from 46% in 2020.
• In the event of a 20% market drop, 40% of investors in 2023 said they’d be concerned but would wait before acting. As many as 30% accepted volatility as part of investing, 10% said they’d invest more to take advantage of cheaper prices, and younger investors were most likely to sell or move to safer assets.

Source: ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Metric	Group / Category	%
Investors actively investing based on ESG principles	All investors	31%
	Next generation	35%
	Wealth accumulators	36%
	HVIs	45%
Investors who bought/sold based on ESG factors in the past 12 months	Environmental issues	23%
	Ethical issues	19%
	Corporate governance issues	19%
	Social issues	16%
Investors who find ESG standings hard to understand	All investors	16%
	Next generation	21%
	Female investors	18%
Investors who have never heard of responsible investing	All investors	23%
	Next generation	28%
	Female investors	29%
ESG rated as the top 3 investment consideration	In 2020	13%
	In 2023	6%
ESG identifiers among conscious investors	Responsible investing = top priority	6%
	Invest in companies with positive impact	14%
	Actively avoid harmful companies	11%

Source: www.asx.com.au – ASX Australian Investor Study 2023

Regional Highlights / Notables

• Online investors now allocate a combined 20% of their portfolio to ETFs and international equities, up from 17% just six months prior. Specifically, 37% hold ETFs and 34% hold international shares, reflecting trends toward diversification and globalization.
• ASX notes that 2023 saw the highest number of on‑exchange investors since 2010, with strong participation from younger age groups (Gen Z and millennials) and women, suggesting a broadening investor base across geographic and demographic segments.

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General Comparison of Statistics

Total Investor Count (2024-2025)

Country	Total Investors	% of Adult Population
Australia	7.1 Million	34%
United States	165 Million	62%
United Kingdom	31.7 Million	58%
Japan	83.59 Million	68.3%
Canada	22 Million	54%

Gender Breakdown of Investors

About the Editorial Team



Naylyan Nazifova is a Financial Research and Platform Testing Analyst at BestBrokers.com, where she reviews and tests online brokers across forex, stocks, investing and personal finance. Her experience in online trading content and broker analysis helps readers understand how platforms perform in practice, including their trading tools, fees, ease of use and suitability for different types of investors.