[Money] Which countries in the world have the highest household investment in the stock market?

At a time of heightened financial market volatility, household interest in the stock market remains a key indicator of economic confidence. This study looks at 32 countries where households devote a significant proportion of their savings to equities and other investment products. By analyzing cultural, economic and regulatory dynamics, it sheds light on the factors that foster this craze. There are major differences from one continent to another.

Good to know

The data presented on this map are the most recent available, as of 2023 or 2024. As there are no official statistics on the subject, there is a margin of error of between 5 and 10%, due to fluctuations in stock market asset ownership and the difficulty of estimating the number of such holders. The figures include investors who directly own a portfolio of shares, as well as those who invest indirectly in stock market assets via various financial vehicles (such as life insurance, for example).

The USA, Canada and Australia are the countries with the highest stock market ownership rates

An analysis of stock market ownership rates reveals marked disparities between continents. In North America, households have the highest rates, with 55% in the USA and 49% in Canada, reflecting a strong investment culture. Oceania follows suit, with 37% in Australia and 31% in New Zealand. In Europe, there are notable differences: Nordic countries such as Sweden (22%) and Finland (18.7%) are ahead of major economies such as France (15.1%) andGermany (14.2%).

In Asia, rates remain modest overall, despite dynamic financial centers such as Hong Kong (13.8%) and Japan (15.2%). Lastly, emerging countries in Latin America and Africa, such as Brazil (8%) and Morocco (0.5%), show much lower levels, illustrating still-developing financial markets.

PositionCountryShareholding rate
1
United States55%
2
Canada49%
3
Australia37%
4
United Kingdom33%
5
New Zealand31%
6
Sweden22%
7
Russia21%
8
Finland18.7%
9
Switzerland17.6%
10
Ireland17%
11
Vietnam16.4%
12
Japan15.2%
13
France15.1%
14
Portugal14.5%
15
Germany14.2%
16
Netherlands14%
17
South Africa14%
18
Hong Kong13.8%
19
Taiwan12.5%
20
Spain12.5%
21
Singapore8.3%
22
Brazil8%
23
Italy7%
24
China7%
25
India6%
26
Austria5.6%
27
Belgium5.0%
28
Poland4.9%
29
Argentina4,9%
30
Philippines1.5%
31
Mexico1.2%
32
Morocco0.5%
Source : see methodology

Expert advice

Pauline Laurore, finance expert at HelloSafe:
"The gap in stock market participation between countries can be explained by a combination of structural factors. In countries like the United States and Canada, equity investment is deeply integrated into retirement savings schemes - via pension funds - and supported by strong tax incentives. Financial culture is more developed, and access to markets is facilitated by low-cost platforms and favorable regulation. Conversely, in many emerging countries, financial infrastructures are less mature, investment products are not widely available, and savings are still mainly directed towards real estate or non-risky assets. Even in densely populated countries like India and China, low stock market penetration (6-7%) shows that there is considerable potential for growth, provided that educational, technological and institutional obstacles are overcome".

The USA, China and India top the list of nations with the most stock market investors

Analysis of the absolute number of stockholders reveals significant differences between countries in terms of demographics and economic development. In North America, the United States dominates with over 185 million investors, far ahead of Canada (19 million). In Asia, although the proportion of investors is lower, the volume is impressive given the population: China (98.7 million) and India (85.8 million) are among the world leaders.

In Europe, the figures are more modest despite advanced economies: the UK (22 million) and Germany (11.8 million) stand out, while France has 10.2 million holders. In Latin America, Brazil stands out with 17.1 million investors, well ahead of its neighbors. Finally, in Africa,South Africa leads the way with 8.47 million holders, contrasting with the much lower figures for Morocco (189,500). These figures reveal the combined influence of standard of living, investment culture and demographic weight.

PositionCountryTotal number of shareholders
1
United States185,350,000
2
China98,700,000
3
India85,800,000
4
Russia30,450,000
5
United Kingdom22,110,000
6
Canada19,110,000
7
Japan18,696,000
8
Brazil17,120,000
9
Vietnam16,236,000
10
Germany11,814,400
11
France10,268,000
12
Australia9,620,000
13
South Africa8,470,000
14
Spain5,937,500
15
Italy4,116,000
16
Taiwan2,937,500
17
Netherlands2,478,000
18
Sweden2,310,000
19
Argentina2,254,000
20
Poland1,837,500
21
Philippines1,755,000
22
New Zealand1,612,000
23
Switzerland1,548,800
24
Mexico1,536,000
25
Portugal1,479,000
26
Finland1,028,500
27
Hong Kong1,021,200
28
Ireland901,000
29
Belgium590,000
30
Austria509,600
31
Singapore473,100
32
Morocco189,500
Source : see methodology

USA, India and Brazil: the three best stock market returns over the last 10 years

An analysis of annualized returns over 10 years shows that the United States, with the S&P 500, remains in the lead with a return of 16.89%, making it one of the best-performing indices over the period. Emerging markets, notably Brazil and India, follow closely behind, with returns close to 15.9%, offering attractive potential despite their volatility. Vietnam and New Zealand also stand out with respectable, if more moderate, returns (12.22% and 10.66%).

On the other hand, markets such as the UK (2.67%) and Spain (1.65%) performed much less well, suggesting less dynamic growth over the period. European countries such as Portugal (1.71%) and France (5.93%) also underperformed their global peers.

CountriesMain indexPerformance
(2024-2025)
Annualized return
(2015-2025)
United States
S&P 5007.48%16.89%
Brazil
Bovespa-1.85%15.92%
India
BSE Sensex1.47%15.90%
Vietnam
VN-Index4.39%12.22%
New Zealand
S&P/NZX 503.39%10.66%
Russia
MOEX Russia Index-6.42%9.18%
Japan
Nikkei 225-3.25%9.11%
Switzerland
Swiss Performance Index (SPI)16.43%9%
Germany
DAX25.64%8.96%
Netherlands
AEX Index18.5%8.79%
Poland
WIG-0.69%8.29%
Ireland
ISEQ Overall Index11.34%7.31%
Canada
S&P/TSX Composite16.69%7.18%
Italy
FTSE MIB0%7.05%
South Africa
FTSE/JSE All Share Index19.12%6.93%
Austria
ATX23.16%6.64%
Taiwan
TAIEX1.15%6.39%
Sweden
OMX Stockholm 3017.68%6.01%
France
CAC 407.89%5.93%
Morocco
MASI-7.47%5.61%
Finland
OMX Helsinki 257.6%3.43%
Australia
S&P/ASX 2002.58%3.33%
United Kingdom
FTSE 1008.41%2.67%
Belgium
BEL 2017.06%2.04%
Mexico
CPI0.43%1.82%
Portugal
PSI 2012.03%1.71%
Spain
IBEX 3525.7%1.65%
Singapore
Straits Times Index20.99%1.28%
China
SSE Composite Index4.96%-0.04%
Hong Kong
Hang Seng Index20.32%-0.15%
Philippines
PSEi-10.39%-2.01%
Source : see methodology

About HelloSafe USA

HelloSafe is an insurtech specialist in travel insurance on the American market. Using proprietary technology, we provide access to the best travel insurance solutions and expert advice via a single, anonymous platform. Our team supports thousands of travellers every month with dedicated products, continuously updated content and innovative digital tools.

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