Savings book still almost twice as common as stocks
They still see themselves as a bargain hunt and not as a stock exchange: a current study by the online research institute Marketagent shows the preferences of the Austrian population in the investment. The representative survey below 1,060 people between the ages of 14 and 75 was carried out between the end of April and early May 2025.
Low interest in capital market products
Only 30 percent of the respondents deal intensively with investment. There are clear demographic differences: men (38 percent) are more likely to deal with the topic than women (23 percent). Interest generations of younger people (Generation Z: 45 percent) is more pronounced than in the elderly (baby boomer: 19 percent).
Knowledge gaps in stocks
The self -assessment of the share of the stocks is modest: On average, the respondents assess their knowledge with the school grade 3.6. More than half (54 percent) indicates poor to very poor knowledge, while only 19 percent assess their skills as good or very good. Women and older people in particular evaluate their level of knowledge low.
Risk aversion dominates investment behavior
68 percent of Austrians avoid financial risks and prioritize security for investments. This attitude is reflected in self -awareness: 57 percent describe your money as “careful and safe”, only 15 percent as “adventurous”. Risk will correlate with the economic situation – better financial possibilities lead to higher risk to risk.
Savings book remains the preferred form of investment
With 54 percent, the savings account is the most common form of investment, followed by pension and insurance products (26 percent) and gold (22 percent). Only 30 percent of the respondents use shares and funds – mainly men, younger people and high -earning. Cryptocurrencies play a subordinate role with 13 percent.
Obstacles to stock investments
The reluctance to shares has several causes: 40 percent of those surveyed state that they have no available capital. Just as many shy away from the risk or feel insufficiently informed. Only 22 percent are ready to invest (more) in stocks in the future – this willingness is particularly low for women (15 percent) and baby boomers (10 percent).
Preference for domestic securities
Shalling investors invest average 27 percent of their portfolio in Austrian securities. The main reasons give you recommendations (27 percent) and regional connection (24 percent). 14 percent state that they can better assess the Austrian market. International investments are chosen primarily for better chances of winning (40 percent).
Conclusion
The study shows a conservative basic attitude of the Austrian population in investments. Knowledge gaps, risk aversion and limited financial resources mean that the capital market remains inaccessible to large parts of the population. Despite low interest rates, the savings book retains its position as a preferred form of investment.
The study was carried out as a marketing agent in cooperation with BSN, BE and Raiffeisen Research.
