More than Half of America is Invested in the Stock Market

Key Takeaways

• 55% of the American population is invested in the financial market
• They are the top country by stock market ownership, followed by Canada (49%).

Ticket to Turbulence

The first four months of the new Trump presidency has been the single-worst start to a term for financial markets.

Before the newest pause on tariffs, the S&P 500 had lost 15% of its value since January, the most for a new term since the exchange opened in 1957.

However, as the White House reinstated yet another pause on its earlier announced tariffs, markets regained some of its lost ground. (It’s still down 7% YTD as of writing this post).

With more than half of the American population invested, this turbulent ride is being widely felt.

Data sources

Select countries only due to data restraints. With latest available figures from 2023–2024, published April, 2025.

https://hellosafe.ca/en/investing/broker/stock-ownership

https://www.voronoiapp.com/markets/-More-than-Half-of-America-is-Invested-in-the-Stock-Market-4830#home

Investment Disclaimer

Not Investment Advice: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities23. Readers should consult with qualified financial professionals before making investment decisions6.

Data Sources: This article relies on data from HelloSafe, a financial services comparison website, using figures available from the World Bank from 2023-20246. While we believe this information to be accurate, we cannot guarantee its complete accuracy or timeliness.

Risk Disclosures

Market Risk: The article references significant market volatility, including a 15% decline in the S&P 500 and subsequent partial recovery to a 7% year-to-date decline as of the publication date24. Investing in securities involves substantial risk of loss, and past performance is not indicative of future results.

Political and Policy Risk: The article discusses market reactions to policy decisions, including tariffs. Government policies and political developments can significantly impact market performance in unpredictable ways46.

General Disclosures

No Guarantees: Historical market performance data presented in this article does not guarantee future results. The value of investments may fluctuate, and investors may lose principal8.

International Comparisons: The international stock market ownership rates presented are based on specific methodologies that include both direct shareholding and exposure via life insurance and pension funds6. Different measurement methodologies may produce different results.

Context and Timeliness: Market conditions change constantly. The information in this article is current as of April 27, 2025, and market conditions may have changed significantly since publication68.

Visual Capitalist/Voronoi: This content was produced by Visual Capitalist and published on their Voronoi platform6. Visual Capitalist provides data-driven visual content but is not a registered investment advisor.

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