Key Takeaways
- • The ASX Australian Investor Study 2026 found a record 11.5 million Australian adults hold investments outside superannuation and their main home, equal to 54 per cent of the adult population.
- • An estimated 2.5 million Australians have joined the investor population since 2020, according to the survey of roughly 4,500 people conducted in January and February 2026.
- • AI tools were used for investment information and advice for the first time in the survey, with uptake at 14 per cent among investors aged 18 to 29.
- • Australian ETFs recorded a record $21 billion quarter, and the industry hit $388 billion in assets under management, per Betashares and Global X data.
- • ASIC opened consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms ahead of new laws commencing April 8, 2027.
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, released by the stock exchange operator. The survey shows investors now make up 54 per cent of the adult population, with an estimated 2.5 million Australians having joined since 2020. ASX chief executive Anthony Attia said Australia is "a nation of investors" and that public participation in share trading is among the highest in developed markets.
Most investors are middle-income and middle-aged, with a median gross income of $110,000 and an average age of 46. Investors aged 18 to 29 account for 21 per cent of the investor base. The survey found AI tools were used for investment information and advice for the first time, with uptake strongest among younger investors at 14 per cent of those aged 18 to 29. 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.
The ASX estimates 950,000 Australians who do not currently invest plan to start within the next 12 months. Women make up 61 per cent of this group, and those aged 18 to 29 account for almost four in ten. Knowledge was cited as the largest barrier to entry, and the ASX said demand for financial advice is rising.
ETF inflows have accelerated since the survey. Betashares data show the sector took in $7 billion in September after monthly inflows first exceeded $7 billion in August, with assets under management reaching a record $388 billion. Global X ETFs senior strategist Marc Jocum described a record $21 billion quarter. Commentators link the trend partly to tax changes announced in the May budget, including plans to replace the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount with one tied to actual inflation and a minimum 30 per cent tax on gains from July 1, 2027. Forager Funds chief investment officer Steve Johnson said ETF structures allow gains and losses to be netted within the fund. Betashares also pointed to falling Australian house prices as a reason investors are considering shares, bonds and commodities.
On regulation, ASIC began consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms. Under the proposal, these platforms would need an Australian financial services licence, customer disclosure documents and platform rules, and compliance with asset holding, transactional, settlement and net tangible asset standards where relevant. ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said the approach follows the principle of "same activity, same risk, same regulatory outcome." The new laws commence April 8, 2027.
Most investors are middle-income and middle-aged, with a median gross income of $110,000 and an average age of 46. Investors aged 18 to 29 account for 21 per cent of the investor base. The survey found AI tools were used for investment information and advice for the first time, with uptake strongest among younger investors at 14 per cent of those aged 18 to 29. 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.
The ASX estimates 950,000 Australians who do not currently invest plan to start within the next 12 months. Women make up 61 per cent of this group, and those aged 18 to 29 account for almost four in ten. Knowledge was cited as the largest barrier to entry, and the ASX said demand for financial advice is rising.
ETF inflows have accelerated since the survey. Betashares data show the sector took in $7 billion in September after monthly inflows first exceeded $7 billion in August, with assets under management reaching a record $388 billion. Global X ETFs senior strategist Marc Jocum described a record $21 billion quarter. Commentators link the trend partly to tax changes announced in the May budget, including plans to replace the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount with one tied to actual inflation and a minimum 30 per cent tax on gains from July 1, 2027. Forager Funds chief investment officer Steve Johnson said ETF structures allow gains and losses to be netted within the fund. Betashares also pointed to falling Australian house prices as a reason investors are considering shares, bonds and commodities.
On regulation, ASIC began consultation on guidance and standards for digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms. Under the proposal, these platforms would need an Australian financial services licence, customer disclosure documents and platform rules, and compliance with asset holding, transactional, settlement and net tangible asset standards where relevant. ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said the approach follows the principle of "same activity, same risk, same regulatory outcome." The new laws commence April 8, 2027.
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