Share Trading Statistics

For the first-time investor, the share market can be daunting. But with savings interest rates dwindling in line with a record-low cash rate, more Aussies are turning to shares to boost their returns.

One in three Australians currently hold money in shares

Investing in shares has seen a surge in the past few years, thanks to the rise of platforms with low fees and small deposit amounts. We surveyed a nationally representative group of over 1,010 Australians to see how many people are investing in shares, how much they have invested in the market, as well as breakdowns on the types of people who are investing.

A third of Australian adults currently hold shares

• Around 34% of Aussie adults hold shares as of January 2025.
• Men (42%) are more likely to invest in shares than women (27%).
• Gen Y Australians are the most likely to invest (45%) of all age groups, followed by Gen Z (36%), Gen X (29%), and the Baby Boomers (27%).

Australians have invested around $24,020 in shares each

• On average, Australians have around $24,020 invested in shares.
• Australian men invest nearly two times as much money than women. On average, Aussie men have $33,104 invested in shares compared to $14,360 for women.
• Boomers are the biggest investors among all the generations, with an Aussie Boomer having around $37,826 on average invested in shares.
• They are followed by Gen X investors at $20,510, Gen Y at $16,769, and Gen Z at $6,907.

• Gender
• Generation

Building Wealth in 2025: Growing Your Investment Portfolio

As we step into 2025, many individuals are prioritizing different aspects of their financial health. Among the diverse goals, growing an investment portfolio has emerged as a significant focus, capturing the attention of 8% of respondents in a recent survey. This priority, though not at the top of the list, highlights a growing awareness of the importance of long-term financial growth through investments such as shares and cryptocurrencies.

Are Australians Shifting Their Investment Strategies?

Survey results indicate that Australians' investment approaches have remained relatively stable over the past six months.

A majority of respondents in both periods reported no significant changes in their investment strategies. The proportion of those investing "about the same" rose slightly from 65% in July 2024 to 69% in January 2025, reflecting a consistent preference for stability among most Australians.

Meanwhile, the percentage of Australians adopting more conservative strategies declined from 30% in July 2024 to 24% in January 2025.

Conversely, the proportion of those taking a more adventurous investment approach saw a modest increase, rising from 5% to 6% over the same period.

• Gender
• Generation

Covid-19 Share Trading Statistics

• Investing During Pandemic

  For the first-time investor, the share market can be daunting. But more Aussies are turning to shares to boost their returns.
  In this report we track how investing behaviours changed in Australia as a result of the Covid pandemic.
  Half (49%) of Australians, an estimated 9.5 million people, now own shares.
  The COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in first-time share investors.
  We surveyed a nationally representative group of 1,018 Australians in February 2020 which revealed 13% of Australian adults, an estimated 2.5 million people, were new to share trading during the pandemic.
  One in five (21%) of Australians, an estimated 4 million people, bought shares during the pandemic but also owned them previously.
  Leaving 15% of Australians who were already share traders, but did not put more money into shares during the pandemic.
  

  • Investing During Pandemic
  • Reasons
  • Table

  Response	Proportion of Aussies
  It delivers a good return on investment	41%
  Build up my retirement fund	26%
  A company was/is consistently growing	24%
  Savings interest rates are poor	22%
  A company's share price was/is dropping so I wanted to invest while it was cheaper	19%
  Investing is more accessible now through apps	17%
  I like the product(s) that the company sells	14%
  A financial planner suggested/suggesting it	14%
  A friend/family member told/telling me it was a good investment	12%
  The company has been in the news	4%
  I like the owner/CEO	4%
  Other	1%

• Generational Difference

  Our survey shows that Gen Z (those aged 25 and younger) tend to find investing the least intimidating and are more likely to give stocks a go than other generations, followed closely by Gen Y (those aged 26-40).
  Here is a breakdown of the percentage of each generation that would consider investing in stocks and shares.
  

  • Reasons
  • Table

  Generation	Plan on investing
  Baby boomers	50%
  Gen X	64%
  Gen Y	79%
  Gen Z	81%

• Reasons Different Generations Invest

  • Reasons
  • Table

  	Gen Z	Gen Y	Gen X	Baby Boomers
  It delivers a good return on investment	46%	45%	45%	30%
  A company was/is consistently growing	29%	29%	22%	18%
  Build up my retirement fund	25%	27%	31%	19%
  I like the product(s) that the company sells	20%	18%	11%	11%
  A friend/family member told/telling me it was a good investment	21%	16%	9%	7%
  A financial planner suggested/suggesting it	24%	14%	12%	10%
  Savings interest rates are poor	22%	29%	19%	18%
  Investing is more accessible now through apps	27%	28%	10%	4%
  A company's share price was/is dropping so I wanted to invest while it was cheaper	33%	23%	15%	10%
  I like the owner/CEO	8%	4%	4%	1%
  The company has been in the news	6%	6%	3%	1%
  Other (Please Specify)		0%	1%	4%

• Gender Difference

  There's a bit of a gender gap when it comes to investing, with women being less keen than men to try it out. We asked Aussies about investing in shares, and 74% of men said they would consider it, but only 62% of women said they'd be keen.
  

  • Reasons
  • Table

  	Would consider investing in shares	Would not invest in shares
  Women	62%	38%
  Men	74%	26%

Tips when buying shares in Australia

Want to get more out of your online share trading? Keep the following tips in mind when buying shares online:

• Do your homework. Making informed trading decisions is crucial to the success of your investments. Research the financial health and growth prospects of companies by poring over annual reports, keeping an eye out for company alerts, reading share prospectuses and accessing research reports.
• Stay up to date with the Australian economy. Keep an eye on the health of the Australian economy, Reserve Bank interest rate decisions, government policy changes, levels of investor confidence, exchange rates and the performance of share markets in Australia and overseas. All of these can influence when is and is not a good time for you to invest.
• Start with blue chip companies. One of the safest options for anyone starting out in the share market is to invest in blue chip companies. These are Australia's top 50 companies, as listed on the S&P/ASX 50, and are typically well-established companies. They usually offer the best chance for minimising your risk and providing steady returns.
• What about speculative shares? Speculative companies are not in the top 100 Australian companies and have a shorter history doing business. Some investors are attracted to buying shares in these companies because they offer the potential for large returns, but be aware that they also have the potential to suffer large losses.
• Buy what you know. Rather than diving in at the deep end and investing in a company that operates in a field you have little or no understanding of, start with industries and businesses you have some sort of background knowledge of.
• Diversify. If you want to minimise your exposure to risk, diversify your portfolio across a range of different industries. If you buy shares across five or six industries instead of just one or two, you can be better protected against losses if one particular industry experiences a sharp downturn.

Written by

Taylor Blackburn

Money Expert

Taylor Blackburn is a multi-award-winning communications specialist with a focus on personal finance and insurance. As Finder’s Head of PR, he regularly appears on major national TV programs like Sunrise, Today, and 7 and 9 news, and is frequently quoted in prominent outlets like the AFR and The Guardian. Taylor holds a Master of Arts in Public Relations from the University of the Pacific. See full bio

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