The latest YouGov US Investment Trends Report 2025 has reveals a significant generational shift in American investor behaviour, with 55% of prospective new investors coming from Gen Z and Millennial cohorts. This emerging wave is not only redefining how people invest but also what they invest in.
Despite 83% of investors still viewing cryptocurrency as risky, younger generations are embracing it more than ever. Gen Z investors are nearly four times more likely to own crypto than traditional retirement accounts. Nearly half (48%) of Gen Z investors now use cryptocurrency exchanges, surpassing the 40% who invest through traditional banks. Yet, confidence does not always equal guidance, only 32% of Gen Z work with financial advisors, despite 70% feeling confident managing their own portfolios.
The growing appetite for investment is not limited to crypto. Stocks and real estate are two of the fastest-growing products among younger investors. This aligns with long-term trends: according to *Gallup*, 61% of Americans reported owning stocks in 2023, including those held via mutual funds, pensions, or retirement accounts. Ownership has been slowly recovering from its post-2008 decline, when just 52% of Americans said they owned stocks.
Meanwhile, older investors remain more committed to traditional instruments like options, futures, and annuities. Fidelity continues to dominate with Gen X and Baby Boomer investors, while Bloomberg leads in overall customer satisfaction across the board.
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns are playing a growing role in investment choices. Two-thirds (66%) of Gen Z investors now consider ESG factors important when selecting financial products, suggesting a deeper alignment with values and purpose-driven investing.
Yet, barriers persist. The biggest reason Americans don’t invest? A lack of money. Nearly half (46%) cited this as their main obstacle, dwarfing concerns over complexity (8%) or negative past experiences (5%).
As for fund ownership more broadly, data from the *Investment Company Institute (ICI)* shows that in 2023, 116 million Americans owned mutual funds, driven largely by workplace retirement plans like 401(k)s. However, as younger generations shift toward self-directed and digital platforms, the traditional mutual fund market faces competition from ETFs, robo-advisors, and app-based investing tools.
In short, the future of investing in the US is digital, younger, and values-driven, yet still constrained by financial accessibility and generational divides.
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
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