Gender gap in investing remains wide – True Wealth ETF study reveals clear differences by gender, region, and age

Press Release

Zurich, June 30, 2025

How does Switzerland invest – and who is not (yet) investing? A new study by True Wealth shows how the Swiss population invests its money and what role ETFs play in this. The survey of over 2'000 people from German- and French-speaking Switzerland reveals not only interesting differences between age groups, genders, and language regions, but also significant growth potential for passive investment solutions.

One third do not invest – women significantly more cautious

Around 65 percent of respondents invest their free assets, while 35 percent do not invest at all. Women are particularly cautious: 43 percent of women do not invest, compared with only 27 percent of men. The main reasons cited are a lack of knowledge and insufficient financial resources.

The influence of age is evident: younger adults (aged 16–29) are more likely than average to cite a lack of knowledge as an obstacle. «This is a clear indication of the huge potential in the area of financial education,» comments Felix Niederer, CEO and co-founder of True Wealth. With increasing age, however, too high risk is more frequently cited as a reason for not investing.

Generational change: the importance of the house bank is declining

Investment decisions continue to be delegated in the traditional manner: 68 percent of those who delegate their investment decisions do so to their house bank. The house bank also leads the way when it comes to product recommendations (50%), followed by friends and acquaintances (32%) and investment advisors (30%).

However, a generational shift is emerging: 29 percent of 16- to 29-year-olds who invest based on recommendations invest in products recommended by influencers – compared with only 1 percent of those over 50. At the same time, the relevance of the primary bank declines significantly with age: while 63 percent of those over 50 trust the recommendations of their primary bank, this figure drops to just 36 percent among the youngest respondents.

ETFs on the rise – especially among younger investors

Among investors, individual stocks remain the preferred investment instrument, followed by ETFs, which are already used by just under 30 percent. While stocks dominate across all age groups, ETFs are more prevalent among those under 50. In the oldest cohort, however, bonds rank second after stocks.

The most important reasons for investing in ETFs are:

• Broad diversification (66%)
• Low costs (59%)
• Easy access (47%)

Here, too, gender differences are apparent: men cite low costs significantly more often (65%) than women (45%), while women are more likely to rely on recommendations from third parties (28% vs. 20%).

Allocation still limited – but strong growth potential

«Although ETFs are gaining in popularity, they still play a minor role in the overall portfolios of many investors,» explains Felix Niederer. Sixty percent of those who have already started investing in ETFs hold only a quarter or less of their investable assets in ETFs. Among those over 50, this figure is as high as 73%.

At the same time, 49% of ETF investors plan to increase their ETF holdings in the future. This trend is particularly pronounced in the youngest age group: 68% of 16- to 29-year-olds would like to expand their ETF investments, while 33% of those over 50 would do so.

Regional differences in ETF investments

ETFs are a relatively young investment vehicle: only 23 percent of ETF investors have been investing in ETFs for more than five years.

In French-speaking Switzerland, 65 percent have been investing in ETFs for less than two years. In German-speaking Switzerland, this figure is 49 percent.

There are also clear differences in the choice of ETF types:

• In German-speaking Switzerland, equity ETFs and sustainable ETFs are the most popular.
• In French-speaking Switzerland, bond ETFs, commodity ETFs, and real estate ETFs dominate.
• Crypto ETFs are becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger investors.
• Women invest significantly more often in sustainable ETFs – an indication of different preferences when it comes to product selection.

The figures show that ETFs have entered the consciousness of many investors – but their potential is far from exhausted. Those who invest are increasingly doing so on their own terms – and those who do not yet invest need one thing above all else: financial education.

Further information on the ETF study and the complete results can be found here: ETF study Switzerland 2025

The representative survey was conducted by the market research institute GfK Switzerland on behalf of True Wealth.

Methodology:

Representative survey (GfK eBUS®) conducted in May 2025, sample size 2'037 respondents aged 16 to 74, representative of the population according to language region x gender x age (3 age groups) interlocked quotas.

Thirteen questions with closed response options were asked.

About True Wealth

True Wealth was founded in 2013 by Oliver Herren, co-founder of Digitec Galaxus AG, and Felix Niederer, physicist and portfolio manager. The online platform has consistently automated all modern wealth management processes and offers customers domiciled in Switzerland a low-cost wealth management solution from an investment amount of CHF 8'500 or CHF 1'000 for children's portfolios and Pillar 3a investments.

The company manages client assets of more than 1.9 billion Swiss francs, spread over more than 30'000 clients.

The annual all-in wealth management fee is 0.25-0.50%, depending on the investment amount. The management fee for Pillar 3a is 0%.

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