Chart: How do different generations view stocks and shares?

Nov 4, 2022

With the collaboration of Statista.

Only 49% of the silent/baby boomer generation would invest in stocks and shares. Image: Unsplash/Wance Paleri

Martin Armstrong

Data Journalist, Statista

The most popular way of spending imaginary riches is in shares, equity and investment funds, but enthusiasm for the stock market varies greatly by generation, a US survey has found.
81% of US Gen Zers said they would invest in stocks and shares, with this figure falling the older the respondents got.
Not surprisingly, investing in cryptocurrency was much more popular with Gen Z - 61% said they would do so, compared to just 10% of the oldest respondents.

If you were to receive $100,000, how would you choose to invest it? Would you even invest it at all? Respondents to the recent Finance and Assets special edition of Statista's Global Consumer Survey were busy spending their imaginary riches when posed the question this summer. The most popular response was 'shares, equity funds, investment funds', but as this infographic shows, the enthusiasm for the stock market varied greatly by generation.

With multiple choices possible, 81 percent of U.S. Gen Zers said they would invest in stocks and shares, with this figure falling the older the respondents got. Just 49 percent of the silent/baby boomer generation chose this option. Clear differences were also observed in the respondents choosing cryptocurrency: 61 percent of Gen Z respondents said they would invest in this area, compared to just 10 percent of the oldest respondents.

What's the fun in ploughing all of your cash into investments, though? 58 percent of Generation Z respondents said they would not invest everything, compared to just 30 percent of the silent/baby boomer generations.

Stocks and shares, a young person's game? 30% of the silent/baby boomer generations wouldn't invest in anything. Image: Statista.

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