Millenials were born in a time where technology is at its peak. The generations before us have paved the way. We live in a time where people are more educated and risk-averse. Qualities that are beneficial for those who are willing to invest.
Here are the 2 ways Millennials invest, and what you can learn from them.
Starting Out in Your Investment Journey
Millennials Conduct Extensive Research Before Investing
Our generation’s huge, often-overlooked advantage is growing up within the rapid growth of technology. From young, we are fed all sorts of information. Growing up, we then instinctively learn how to search for information effectively. Amid all the online ‘noise’.
Therefore, Millennials are able to conduct online research on any topic, including how to invest. Unlike before, where only wealthy investors have access to investment advice via their money managers.
Today, not only can we learn about the different investment vehicles but we can use to invest our money. Additionally, we are also exposed to the best and worst practices in the industry. Through social media and websites, we gather customer review and assess user experience.
It is less time-consuming to find out which investment option suits us best. In return, our investment style is catered and specific to our personalities. For example, most Millennials tend to favour investments that promote social and environmental causes.
How You Can Learn: Do your research but beware of fake reviews or over-the-top praises for any one investment vehicle. Remember that a good product will never rely on those to get customers.
Read feedbacks as well, especially on social media and online forums. Compare rates as having brand loyalty does not pay in the financial world. Update yourself on common (and uncommon) investment scams.
Millennials Demand More Transparency and Digital Security
Many financial services have moved online. Therefore, there is more public demand for more transparency and digital security.
Many Millennials look up to Edward Snowden. Snowden gained popularity when he publicly exposed things that the government were deliberately hiding. Although the news spread mostly in the U.S., it has been widely broadcasted into the investment world.
As a result, Millennials around the world are a lot more conscious of information and how it is kept digitally. We demand transparency and enhanced digital security – in turn, we witness how quickly financial institutions reacted, lest they lose our business.
Today, we expect to be informed of all rates upfront with no ‘hidden rates’. A thing that was common in the past. Financial advisors also advertise their management fees, making it easy for us to make comparisons (ask Gen-Xers – this is almost unheard of in the past).
As for digital security – financial institutions that do not invest in this sector can pretty much kiss their customers goodbye. Millennials are knowledgeable enough to know that an insecure savings account is like leaving cash in an unlocked house – we have heard too many cases of hacked accounts to take this lightly.
In conclusion, Millenials are more attracted to financial products and services that provide enhanced digital security.
How You Can Learn: Do not trust companies with minimum to zero transparency. Always clarify what your money will be used and charged for before you hand it over.
Also, companies that do not invest in digital security are bad choices. Full stop. Thankfully, this is more of a rarity nowadays – but one shouldn’t be lax and take it for granted.
Conclusion
The 2 ways Millennials invest as explored above can explain the investment trends we are currently experiencing. For one, this study confirmed that ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) has already surpassed mutual funds as the most popular investment vehicle.
Price transparency allowed us to know that ETFs typically has lower management fees, which attracts Millennials (and the rest of the population, to be honest).
For another, familiarity and preference for online, non-human channels gave rise to robo-advisors, who are able to guide an investor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Right now, they are in infancy stages in Singapore, but we foresee the service being popular for Millennials in the future.
These two are very new trends, and unlikely to be the last. As Millenials, we know that there is much more to see and create in the investment world.
I could not resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!