“Millennials continue to lead the charge when it comes to ETF adoption,” Fischer said. ” Millennials have grown up with ETFs, and because of their familiarity they seem to be more comfortable than other generations in embracing them as their investment vehicle of choice – and enjoying the benefits of low costs, tax efficiency and transparency.”
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Schwab also tried to gauge the responsiveness to socially responsible investments like the those that cover environmental, social and governance principles, which have recently been gaining traction. While only one in 10 ETF investors hold a socially responsible investment, there is increasing interest for this segment, with 46% of all ETF investors believing it is important to invest in socially responsible funds because the strategies align with their beliefs and 51% would invest more if SRI product education was offered.
Millennials, again, remain in the forefront of SRI ETF adoption. Abound 48% of Millennials actively seek out funds that use SRI strategies, compared to 32% of Gen X and 14% of Boomers. Millennials also see socially responsible funds as a way to align with their beliefs while helping them reach long-term goals.
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