Until recently, stock market investing was a man’s affair. Or so it seemed, given the low participation of women in this activity. Today, more women are investing. What is fascinating, however, is their investment strategy.
The relationship of women to investing has always differed from that of men. Women are known for their reluctance to take certain risks while men are more prone to take them. And this is especially noticeable in stock market investing. Admittedly, in recent years, trends have evolved significantly. More and more women are taking an interest in financial investments, seeking to understand how it works and taking the plunge. But the vast majority remain passive. The latest data published by the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and other sector players helps to clarify. Here is what they reveal.
Figures confirming a still pronounced gap between men and women
According to the 2025 Savings and Investment Barometer published by the AMF, only 24% of women invest directly in stocks in France. The data show that they invest in several ways, either by buying shares via a securities account or a PEA (Plan d’Épargne en Actions), or by placing money in cryptocurrencies or in crowdfunding. Among men, this figure rises to 45%. The gap between men and women is also marked when it comes to listed stocks. Only 8% of women hold them compared to 15% of men. There is even talk of a 5 percentage point decline between 2022 and 2024 in the share of women among the most active investors.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that, overall, the trend is gradually rising. In 2023, only 21% of women invested in stocks. They were 23% in 2024 and 24% in 2025. This rise, though small compared with men, demonstrates the growing interest of women in investing. They are more likely, for example, to take an online trading course to learn the basics, to understand how markets work before investing their money. Globally, the gap between men and women in investing is widespread, with the exception of the United States where they have a participation rate of 71%. They even surpass men there.
A different approach to managing investments, and sometimes superior performance
Trade Republic conducted a study on a sample of 4 million clients, and it revealed that women outperform men in terms of returns. They exceed their male counterparts by 2 percentage points. The finding is that they are fewer in number than men to invest, but they perform relatively well in terms of returns.
Going in the same direction, the American asset manager Fidelity has determined that women outperform men by 0.4 percentage points per year on average. This is the conclusion of an analysis the company conducted on 5.2 million accounts over ten years. According to specialists, these results are explained by the fact that women like to diversify their investments. In addition, they hold on to their investments longer and make fewer impulse decisions.
The factors that continue to hinder women’s investing
Women’s cautious investing in the stock market is not the result of chance. On the contrary, it is the outcome of a combination of several factors, starting with the wage gap with men. In 2024, with identical working hours, women still earned 14% less than men according to INSEE. And less income means less money available to invest. Another factor behind this situation is the lack of self-confidence or belief in one’s investment abilities among women. According to the AMF, only 28% of women say they are comfortable with questions of placement and saving, compared with 51% of men. This lack of confidence greatly holds back many women, even when they have the financial means to invest.
Moreover, about nearly half of the women who invest, i.e., 48% to 51%, refuse to take risks with their investments. They prefer products where capital is guaranteed. This percentage is naturally lower among men, about 31%. Prudence being prudent, this approach limits their losses, but also their long-term gain potential.
A dynamic reversal among younger generations
A BlackRock study shows that the share of women who invest in France has increased by 35% since 2022, with a substantial share among the young. For men, this increase is only 7% over the same period. According to AMF data, among women under 35, 33% hold stock market products, versus 11% among those aged 55 and over. Young women also appear more curious about cryptocurrencies and bonds, two types of investments considered riskier and which they used to avoid.
It should be noted that the evolution of women’s interest in investing, especially among the new generation, is partly due to social media, mobile apps, and the development of educational content on finance. All of this makes the markets more accessible and more understandable for everyone.
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