Global Retail Investor Outlook 2025: How Retail Investing Is Changing — And Why It Matters
Global Retail Investor Outlook 2025: How Retail Investing Is Changing — And Why It Matters
The World Economic Forum’s Global Retail Investor Outlook 2025 reveals how Gen Z, new technologies, and AI are reshaping retail investing. Discover key insights, trends, and what it means for the future of markets.
Let’s imagine sitting around a table with financial leaders, policymakers, and advisors—listening as they unravel how retail investing is being transformed right before our eyes. That scene is the essence of the WEF’sGlobal Retail Investor Outlook 2025, a new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), crafted with Robinhood Markets and the Boston Consulting Group. The insights aren’t dry—they feel more like front-row seats to a fundamental shift in global finance.
Here’s what stood out:
A Wave of New Investors Is Rising Up
The report surveyed 13,000 people across 13 countries, and the biggest revelation? People are getting involved younger, and from more diverse backgrounds. It turns out that 30% of Gen Z started investing in university or early adulthood, compared to just 15% of Millennials, 9% of Gen X, and 6% of Baby Boomers. It’s not just age—this wave includes more women, individuals from developing markets, and those previously excluded from mainstream investing.
In short: capital markets are becoming truly global and inclusive for the first time.
Why Retail Investing Is No Longer a Tale of Long-Term Bets
Another shift is how priorities have changed. Inflation and economic uncertainty have nudged investors toward shorter-term goals. Emergency savings now rank front and center—51% of people say saving for the short-term is their top priority, while retirement goals have taken a slight step back compared to 2022 (42% vs. 48%).
It makes sense. When life today feels expensive, building wealth isn’t just about the future—it’s also about covering the present.
Tech Is Pulling Back the Curtains on Investing
Platforms and tech aren’t just enabling investment—they’re shaping how people engage with markets. Access has exploded—from commission-free trades to new asset types like crypto and derivatives.
Here’s a snapshot of the trends:
27% of global retail investors hold crypto.
A striking 20% of Gen Z trades derivatives, compared to just 7% of Baby Boomers.
But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: the role of AI. Around 41% of investors are comfortable sharing personal data with AI chatbots, and a similar share say they’d invest more if an AI helper was in their corner.
AI isn’t just a tool—it’s becoming a trusted part of the experience, especially for younger users.
What Needs to Change—and How
The report isn’t just a set of stats—it’s a call to action. Investors need more: better products, smarter tech, and policies that protect and empower. On that front, the WEF recommends:
Building platforms that speak to individual needs, not institutional norms;
Leveraging AI to make financial advice cheaper and more accessible;
Strengthening policies—through investor protections, fee transparency, and auto-enrolment frameworks—to build trust and ease participation.
It’s not about eliminating human advisors—but about making investing intuitive, affordable, and inclusive.
Turning It All Into Impact
What I loved most is how this outbreak of retail investing isn’t just about money—it’s about empowerment. Whether it’s young adults building savings, crypto-savvy Gen Z’ers getting comfortable with technology, or emerging-market investors joining a global conversation, the stock market is becoming a tool for more than just wealth—it’s a tool for opportunity.
The WEF report ends as it began: with a vision of investing as a bridge to shared financial well-being. To make that future real, all of us—fintech innovators, advisors, regulators—need to meet people where they are today, and equip them to build where they’re going next.
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