The new research, part of an annual study from savings and investment app Moneybox, comes from a nationwide survey of 2,000 people conducted by Onepoll, ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday 8th March.

It reveals that a £30k salary is the tipping point where women’s investing confidence accelerates, and more women than ever are prioritising their long term financial security. Nearly a quarter of women invested in 2024, rising to an impressive 43% among 18–34-year-olds. Confidence is growing, behaviours are changing, and cultural influences—from financial influencers to peer-driven learning—are playing a key role in this transformation.

Investing is on the rise

23% of women proactively chose to invest in 2024—jumping to 43% among 18–34-year-olds. 13% listed “invest more” as a top financial goal for 2025. Among 25–34-year-olds, 22% plan to start, the second most popular goal for this age group.

There is also growing confidence as the report reveals 65% of women felt more confident about investing last year than the year before, and 9% of women plan to start investing this year, with a further 13% intending to increase their investments. It was also the top financial goal for young adults aged 25 – 34.

Why are women investing and what are they choosing?

Looking at the top 3 reasons, 59% of women who invested last year did so to grow wealth, 47% to secure a comfortable retirement, and 34% to provide for their family in future. Interestingly 18% of women invest because they enjoy it, and treat it like a hobby. A closer look at the detail shows:

Younger women are prioritising financial security: Despite financial challenges experienced in 2024, 18–34-year-old women are allocating 21% of their earnings toward savings and investments, 4% more than the 17% national average for men and women and 7% more than women nationally.

Regional highlights: London (28%) and Northern Ireland (33%) had the highest rates of female first-time investors last year
The financial products basket: Cash remains the clear preference with 50% of women holding an Easy Access Savings account (down from 57% in 2023) and 43% holding a Cash ISA (consistent YoY) but among younger generations who are building out more diversified saving and investing portfolios.

Broadening portfolios: 19% of women nationally hold a Stocks & Shares ISA, with a further 8% opening one as a “financial first” in 2024. 30% of women aged 25 – 34 year olds now hold a Stocks & Shares ISA (up 13% year on year) and there has been a 7% uplift in 18 – 24 year old women having a General Investing Account (from 3% to 10%).

Young women are also embracing non traditional investments: 19% of 18 – 34 year olds have invested in cryptocurrency, with a further 27% saying they’d consider it, 10% of this age group have also invested in crowdfunding, with 42% open to it – and 15% have invested in collectibles.

Financial challenges persist

Despite promising financial firsts, women were working with less disposable income last year, with rising living costs, setbacks and increased financial responsibilities. Last year, just 19% of women reported a rise in their disposable income, with 33% saw their disposable income decrease. And while 49% of women are feeling optimistic they will get their finances back on track in 2025, of the women who aren’t;

  • 47% cited struggling with the cost of living, with 45% of women saying they don’t earn enough to save OR invest.
  • 15% experienced financial setbacks (redundancy, divorce, health issues), rising to 31% of 18 – 24 year olds
  • 13% of women cited increased financial responsibilities with family and childcare
  • 27% had an unforeseen emergency financial cost impact their ability to reach their financial goals
  • 20% said their income didn’t increase as hoped

Young Women in their Growth Era

The report shows investing confidence is surging from a young age. 78% of 18–24-year-olds and 84% of 25–34-year-olds felt more confident investing last year (compared to the national female average of 65%). Looking into the details, some notable trends were found amongst this younger age group;

Higher investment rates: 27% of 25–34-year-olds and 16% of 18–24-year-olds started investing in 2024—outpacing the national average of 14%.

Stocks & Shares ISA adoption: 19% of women aged 25–34 opened their first Stocks & Shares ISA in 2024—significantly above the national average of 9%.

What are the motivations for women investing in 2025?

Joint #1 objectives for 18 – 24 year olds were ‘To grow money and build wealth over time’ and ‘have a comfortable retirement’ (54%), followed by ‘wanting to achieve their long-term financial goals as quickly as possible’ (32%).

Growing their money and building wealth were also top priority for women 25 – 34 (66%) but this is also the age group most motivated by providing for family in the future (53%) and most likely to invest because they enjoy it and consider it ‘like a hobby’ (24%).

Young women are highly influenced by their social circles—25% of 18–24-year-olds and 22% of 25–34-year-olds say friends and family encouraged their financial decisions.

Putting their money where their future is: 18 -34 year old women are putting 21% of their monthly income into savings and investments, 4% more than the 17% national blended average and 7% more than women nationally.

The younger generations were also the most inclined to invest their time; 20% of 18 – 24 year olds who felt on top of their finances did so because they were dedicating more time to learning about how to manage their personal finances and ‘build wealth for the future’, alongside 5% of 25 – 34 year olds – tracking above the national average for men and women of 4%.

If not, why not?

Affordability concerns was the top reason women nationally chose not to invest last year (35%) alongside fear of losing money (29%).

Home owning aspirations: Younger women have eyes on the shorter term goal of a first home ( a whopping 27% of 18 – 24 year old women and 37% of 25 to 34s are in the FTB process compared to the national average of 14% who are saving for deposit/planning to buy a house).

 

The £30k Sweet Spot: When Women Start Investing Meaningfully

 

Appetite to invest could be linked to income; £30k is the point where women in 2024 started investing for the first time at levels above the national average for men and women. Looking closer;

  • 16% of women in this salary bracket invested versus national average of 14%
  • Investment rate increases to 24% for those earning £40–49k and 33% for those earning £80k+.
  • 21% of women earning over £30k plan to start investing in 2025.

Confidence to invest also rises from £30k: 73% of women earning over £30k a year felt their confidence had increased last year versus the year before, versus 43% of women earning under £30k.

Women in this bracket who were investing already: 51% of all women earning over £30k were investing last year

  • Desire to ‘invest more’ as a 2025 goal also starts to accelerate above the 18% average at the £40k mark (23% of women) and accounts for 38% of all women earning more than £40k
  • Earlier adoption for Stocks and Shares ISAs: 37% of women earning over £25k already have a Stocks and Shares ISA, which broadly rises as their salaries go up.

Ashleigh Petrie, Product Director at Moneybox said: “Our research shows that when it comes to women investing, confidence is growing, behaviours are changing, and cultural influences – from financial influencers to peer-driven learning—are playing a key role in this transformation. It’s great to see women prioritising investing and diversifying their portfolios as they take steps to build long-term wealth alongside more immediate financial goals like home ownership. That said, there’s still plenty of work to be done to drive a true culture shift towards investing and we hope the government and the industry continue working to ensure investing becomes a fundamental part of financial planning for everyone, alongside saving.”

5 Top Tips from Moneybox for anyone who wants to start investing or invest more in 2025:

1. Set Clear Investment Goals & Automate Contributions

Define your short, mid, and long-term financial goals, such as buying a home, retiring early, or building wealth. Set a target amount and timeline for each goal. Use budgeting tools or apps to track your progress and automate your investing contributions. Automating even small monthly investments helps you stay consistent and take advantage of compound growth over time.

2. Build Financial Confidence Through Small, Actionable Learning

Dedicate at least 30 minutes per week to financial education. Choose a topic like investing basics, stock market trends, or tax-efficient investing. Use resources such as podcasts (Money Clinic, The Rest is Money), YouTube channels, or online forums to grow your knowledge in an easy, digestible way. The more you learn, the more confident you’ll feel making investment decisions.

3. Start Small with Low-Cost, Diversified Investments

If you are starting your investing journey, consider low-risk options like index funds, ETFs, or tracker funds that mirror market performance. These provide built-in diversification, reducing risk while offering long-term growth. Consider pound-cost averaging—investing a fixed amount regularly—to smooth out market fluctuations and remove emotional decision-making.

4. Maximize Tax-Efficient Investment Accounts

Make use of ISAs and LISAs to shield your savings and investments from taxes. If home ownership or retirement is a goal, a Lifetime ISA offers a 25% government bonus on contributions. If you’re looking to build long-term wealth, Stocks & Shares ISAs let your investments grow tax-free. Taking advantage of tax wrappers can significantly accelerate your financial growth.

5. Talk About Money & Negotiate for Your Worth

Get comfortable discussing money with friends, colleagues, or financial professionals. Women are statistically less likely to negotiate salaries, yet earning more means investing more for future wealth. Research industry pay rates, prepare your case, and ask for a raise or adjust your rates if self-employed. More income today means more investing power tomorrow.