Why women don’t identify as investors – and how to change it
Discover why many women don’t identify as investors and how confidence, education and accessible options can help close the gap, with insights from our new podcast series on women’s long‑term financial independence.
Women today are more financially empowered than ever, yet many of us still hesitate to call ourselves “investors”. Even when we are investing, our confidence doesn’t always feel the same as our actions.
That’s why, to mark International Women’s Day, we brought together women from across Vanguard for a new three–part filmed podcast series exploring how we, as women, can build confidence, overcome barriers and strengthen our long–term financial independence.
Breaking the barriers
One theme emerged immediately: even those of us who work in finance don’t automatically see ourselves as investors at the start. Many of us grew up assuming investing was:
- “not for people like me”
- “too complex”
- “only for the wealthy”
Like many people, we first put our money into cash savings. But once we understood how inflation1 reduces the value of our money over time, investing began to feel like an important next step.
Our confidence grew as we:
- learnt more about investment risk
- adopted a long–term view
Starting small – often through monthly contributions – made investing feel more manageable.
From saver to investor: reframing identity
In part two, we discussed the shift from seeing ourselves purely as savers to recognising that many of us were already investors.
This identity gap is reflected among Vanguard clients:
Only 61% of female clients call themselves investors, versus 76% of men2.
This isn’t about ability; it’s about confidence and familiarity.
For many of us, workplace pensions were a turning point. Seeing those pension contributions grow made us think:
“If my employer can invest on my behalf, why can’t I invest for myself too?”
Today, investing is more accessible than ever, with a wide range of accounts and investment styles offering different levels of support. It’s easier for investors to find an approach that suits their time, goals and comfort level.
Why investing matters for women
The final episode explores why investing is so crucial for women’s financial futures.
Today, we enjoy freedoms that previous generations fought hard for: opening own own bank accounts, securing a mortgage and building our own wealth. Investing is the natural next step in that journey.
As one speaker put it:
“Investing lets me grow my ‘for now’ money and secure my ‘for later’ future.”
That’s especially valuable as life expectancy increases, living costs rise and the pension landscape continues to evolve.
To watch our podcast series, visit our YouTube channel.
1 Inflation is the rise in prices for goods and services over time, meaning your money buys less than it used to.
2 Source: Survey of 700 Vanguard UK Personal Investor clients, February 2025.
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