Survey insights from N26
Women and investing: Closing the gender gap
![Smiling woman using her mobile for investments.](https://images.ctfassets.net/q33z48p65a6w/42vNRgjZhinUlMAr4x56Qr/c998cdc9b7dcda45cb677d6de3d70f22/InternationalWomansDay_HeaderImage_1400x1400.jpg?fit=thumb&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&q=80&w=360)
Women invest 29% less than their male counterparts—but nearly 2 of 3 want to invest more in 2022
- European women invest an average of €857.52 of their monthly income, with the majority investing €100–€499 per month. Austrian women appear to invest the most, averaging €999.37 per month.
- European women invest 29% less of their monthly income on average than European men, who invest an average of €1,184.49 per month.
- 70% of women investors say they want to increase their investments over the next year. This is particularly true among Italian and German women, who report that they hope to increase their investments this year to an average of €1,735.82 and €1,438.97, respectively.
Top products and priorities for women investors
Women favor bank products, but crypto is on the rise
Our survey found that women investors prefer bank products—such as interest-bearing savings accounts—the most (37%). Cryptocurrencies are the third most popular investment vehicle, with nearly one in three women saying they invest in crypto. In fact, cryptocurrencies are the most popular investment product overall among women in Spain, and among all European women aged 18–24.
When it comes to investment priorities, value for money wins out
To understand how to improve investment opportunities for women, it’s important to know what women value in investment products. We found that women are primarily looking to stretch each euro they invest. 42% of surveyed women report that finding good value for their money—such as low commission fees or attractive interest rates—is the most important aspect of their investment choices. Men, on the other hand, overwhelmingly prioritize long-term yields.
![Infographic: Top products for women investors.](https://images.ctfassets.net/q33z48p65a6w/5k05aMgn2KmA5WZOH37c1Z/7cda061d8b6be36ee99b9d8caed2b1a6/N26_Desktop_v4.jpg?fit=thumb&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&q=80&w=430)
Women prioritize long-term security over short-term gains
Top motivators for women to invest
![Legend image for table: Top motivators for women to invest.](https://images.ctfassets.net/q33z48p65a6w/4FB0nH46CZQQS2pSrgy9yr/5e07f3e566e50163bab900ed3bbf19c8/InternationalWomansDay_MotivatorsLegend_800w__1_.jpg?fit=thumb&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&q=80&w=360)
Germany | 47% | 45% | 49% | 30% | 16% | 12% | 10% | 9% |
Austria | 49% | 44% | 45% | 36% | 19% | 13% | 8% | 8% |
France | 40% | 37% | 40% | 23% | 26% | 11% | 8% | 8% |
Italy | 40% | 43% | 30% | 25% | 28% | 13% | 11% | 10% |
Spain | 41% | 47% | 37% | 20% | 25% | 15% | 8% | 10% |
Challenges remain for women investors
![Legend image for table: Challenges facing women who invest.](https://images.ctfassets.net/q33z48p65a6w/5QJETkMZknyfmuN3bjQeOy/a1995f125519605d4f147553758f31f9/InternationalWomansDay_ChallengesLegend_800w__1_.jpg?fit=thumb&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&q=80&w=360)
Challenges facing women who invest
Germany | 44% | 26% | 24% | 26% | 18% | 14% | 16% | 8% | 5% |
Austria | 48% | 26% | 20% | 27% | 19% | 14% | 14% | 7% | 9% |
France | 47% | 23% | 21% | 11% | 18% | 21% | 19% | 10% | 7% |
Italy | 42% | 29% | 33% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 14% | 6% | 8% |
Spain | 43% | 29% | 28% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 14% | 6% | 7% |
Challenges facing women who don’t invest
Germany | 50% | 22% | 18% | 24% | 40% | 17% | 15% | 13% | 4% |
Austria | 54% | 24% | 19% | 25% | 44% | 19% | 15% | 10% | 4% |
France | 56% | 20% | 12% | 12% | 30% | 24% | 13% | 10% | 4% |
Italy | 52% | 27% | 20% | 13% | 32% | 15% | 14% | 8% | 6% |
Spain | 58% | 20% | 17% | 20% | 38% | 23% | 10% | 9% | 5% |
How knowledgeable do women feel about investing?
How knowledgeable do women feel about investing?
Overall, less than half of all women who invest (48%) consider themselves knowledgeable about investing—compared to 59% of men. Italian women are the most confident investors at 55%, while only 30% of Spanish women say they are knowledgeable about investing. Non-investing women also indicate that lack of knowledge is a blocker, ranking it as the second most common reason why they don’t invest. Possible causes for this include a lack of access to educational resources and underrepresentation in the investment community at large.![Infographic: Women’s self-reported knowledge when it comes to investing.](https://images.ctfassets.net/q33z48p65a6w/5i2xaJOosh6uxFEr3O7RXl/f6498168b23a2e6fc265453c87bfd572/GPC_N26_Asset2_v4.jpg?fit=thumb&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&q=80&w=430)