Key Takeaways
- • The ASX Australian Investor Study 2026 found a record 11.5 million Australian adults hold investments outside superannuation and their main home, an estimated 2.5 million more than in 2020, representing 54 per cent of the adult population.
- • ETF ownership has more than doubled since 2020, and the Australian ETF industry recorded a record $21 billion quarter, with monthly inflows surpassing $7 billion for the first time in August and $7 billion again in September, per Betashares data.
- • The Australian ETF industry reached a record $388 billion in assets under management, with tax changes including a proposed replacement of the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount and a minimum 30 per cent tax on gains from July 1, 2027 cited as drivers.
- • ASIC opened consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms ahead of new laws commencing April 8, 2027, proposing Australian financial services licensing and asset holding requirements.
- • An estimated 950,000 non-investors plan to start investing within 12 months, with women making up 61 per cent of this group and knowledge cited as the top barrier to entry.
Summary
A record 11.5 million Australian adults now hold investments outside their superannuation and main home, according to the ASX Australian Investor Study 2026, a survey conducted by the stock exchange operator that polled roughly 4,500 people in January and February. ASX chief executive Anthony Attia said Australia is a nation of investors, noting that public participation in share trading is among the highest in developed markets. Investors now represent 54 per cent of the adult population. Younger Australians aged 18 to 29 account for 21 per cent of investors.
For the first time, the survey examined how investors use AI tools for investment information and advice. AI uptake was strongest among younger investors, with 14 per cent of those aged 18 to 29 using it. Investors continued to rely on professional advisers, brokers, online platforms, family and friends, social media, and podcasts. Shares were the most widely held asset class, followed by residential property, ETFs, term deposits and cryptocurrency.
ETF flows have accelerated since the survey. Betashares data showed $7 billion flowed into the Australian ETF industry in September after monthly inflows first surpassed $7 billion in August, bringing assets under management to a record $388 billion. Global X senior strategist Marc Jocum described the record $21 billion quarter as evidence that ETFs are becoming a core portfolio building block. Forager Funds chief investment officer Steve Johnson attributed ETF popularity partly to recent tax changes, noting that gains and losses are contained within the fund, allowing offsets. The government announced in the May budget plans to replace the 50 per cent CGT discount with an inflation-based discount and to introduce a minimum 30 per cent tax on gains from July 1, 2027.
On the regulatory front, ASIC began consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms ahead of new laws commencing April 8, 2027. The proposal would require these platforms to hold an Australian financial services licence, provide customer disclosure documents, and meet asset holding, settlement and net tangible asset standards. ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said the approach follows the principle of 'same activity, same risk, same regulatory outcome.'
The ASX survey also projected continued growth, with an estimated 950,000 Australians who do not currently invest planning to start within 12 months. Women represented 61 per cent of this group, and Australians aged 18 to 29 account for almost four in ten. Knowledge was the number one barrier to entry, and demand for financial advice is rising.
For the first time, the survey examined how investors use AI tools for investment information and advice. AI uptake was strongest among younger investors, with 14 per cent of those aged 18 to 29 using it. Investors continued to rely on professional advisers, brokers, online platforms, family and friends, social media, and podcasts. Shares were the most widely held asset class, followed by residential property, ETFs, term deposits and cryptocurrency.
ETF flows have accelerated since the survey. Betashares data showed $7 billion flowed into the Australian ETF industry in September after monthly inflows first surpassed $7 billion in August, bringing assets under management to a record $388 billion. Global X senior strategist Marc Jocum described the record $21 billion quarter as evidence that ETFs are becoming a core portfolio building block. Forager Funds chief investment officer Steve Johnson attributed ETF popularity partly to recent tax changes, noting that gains and losses are contained within the fund, allowing offsets. The government announced in the May budget plans to replace the 50 per cent CGT discount with an inflation-based discount and to introduce a minimum 30 per cent tax on gains from July 1, 2027.
On the regulatory front, ASIC began consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms ahead of new laws commencing April 8, 2027. The proposal would require these platforms to hold an Australian financial services licence, provide customer disclosure documents, and meet asset holding, settlement and net tangible asset standards. ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said the approach follows the principle of 'same activity, same risk, same regulatory outcome.'
The ASX survey also projected continued growth, with an estimated 950,000 Australians who do not currently invest planning to start within 12 months. Women represented 61 per cent of this group, and Australians aged 18 to 29 account for almost four in ten. Knowledge was the number one barrier to entry, and demand for financial advice is rising.
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