With more than 400 interviewed customers aged 18-35 years old (52% are women and 48% are men), we observed that women are still in the process of seeking safe investments and personal finance solutions.
Through interviews and surveys conducted throughout MaiMoney’s product development process to understand the needs and desires of our customers, we found that over 80% of female customers are not willing to take investment risks. We asked both women and men to rank their appetite for risk out of 10, with 10 having a high-risk appetite and 1 being risk averse - women rank their risk tolerance to be 3/10, while men rank 8/10.
The ability to take risks tends to decrease for women over 28 years old, as they desire safe, long-term, and stable solutions to create a more secure financial future. Meanwhile, this number tends to increase with Gen Z, as they are willing to accept risks below 8 out of 10 if the investment product aligns with their values.
After interviews and surveys on our participants' investment and finance habits, 40% of female investors stated that they plan to invest less or not invest at all in the next 12 months, while 80% of male investors already have plans to increase their investment portfolios.
Are Vietnamese women facing too much to even think about investing?
In the leadership and management field, the presence of women is still very low. Despite some progress in placing women in senior management positions in businesses, there are still many challenges to overcome. According to the ILO, only about 17.1% of management positions in Vietnam are held by women, while men account for 82.9% (ILO STAT).
With a high birth rate in the adolescent age group in Vietnam according to the World Health Organization (WHO), this sudden increase in the number of children can pose significant economic and social challenges for women, especially as the demand for family support and care continues to rise.
Despite efforts to improve gender equality in Vietnam, there are still many challenges. According to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the participation rate of the female labor force in the period from 2014 to 2023 decreased from 72.7% to 68.0%, indicating a decreasing trend in women's participation in the labor market in Vietnam.
No matter how much women earn, they are still not as comfortable as men
In interviews, we found that women face many barriers to starting an investment, including family responsibilities (20%), lack of financial management experience (30%), fear of losing money (40%), and lack of investment options (10%).
Data from the survey also shows that less than 1/3 (28%) of women have investment experience, while this proportion is over 2/3 (71%) for men. This reflects a significant disparity between the genders when it comes to investing and building wealth.
Among the few women with investment experience, only 46% are currently investing in financial products, while in men, this number rises to over 88%.
Overcoming personal finance barriers
With over 200 responses from women, do you face the same issues when managing your finances?
Lack of Financial Planning: One of the main barriers for women when it comes to investing and building wealth is a lack of specific and clear financial planning. Many women may not have identified their specific financial goals or know where to start. To address this issue, women need to create a personal financial plan, including setting short-term and long-term goals, evaluating their current financial situation, and planning appropriate savings and investments.
Fear of Risk: Fear of risk is a major barrier that makes many women hesitant to invest. They may worry about losing money, not knowing how to manage risk, or lack confidence in their ability to face investment risks. To overcome this fear, women need to understand more about the types of risks they may encounter when investing and learn how to adjust their investment strategy to minimize risks while still achieving desired returns.
High Emotional Shopping Needs: Over 75% of female customers under 24 years old believe they can easily be drawn into emotional shopping, especially when they feel they need to "reward themselves" after stressful days of work. However, uncontrolled spending can affect their ability to invest and save. To minimize the impact of emotional shopping, women can set a monthly budget, prioritize financial goals, and shop responsibly and according to plan.
Below are some tips to get started and build confidence:
When it comes to investing, there are several important strategies that can help women navigate toward a more confident financial future:
Now is the perfect time to start - you don't need a large sum of money: You can begin with a small capital and gradually build confidence and assets over time. With the power of compound interest, starting with a small investment and maintaining it long-term can yield greater benefits than waiting until you have more money to invest later.
Diversify your investment portfolio: Allocating investments across multiple asset classes is a smart way to manage risk. By diversifying your portfolio, you can help protect your investments from market fluctuations, which can offer peace of mind for women who are more risk-averse. The good part is you don’t need to do it yourself, look for managed portfolios offered through an investment app, like MaiMoney. We built a simple interface for you while we handle the sophisticated investment process in the background.
Invest in what you believe in: Take the time to research managed investment products to ensure the risk matches your values and beliefs. By selecting investment products that reflect your values, you can feel confident that your investments are making a positive impact while generating returns. MaiGreen is an environmentally friendly investment product at MaiMoney, with low-risk, stable, and attractive returns of up to 8.5% per year*, especially with no fees charged to customers. MaiGreen invests in DCarbon generators utilizing biogas to generate electricity and reduce methane emissions, making a positive impact on the environment and the world around us.
With MaiGreen, you can easily start your investment journey from 100,000 VND and 10,000 VND for subsequent investments.
Let's work together towards a safer, more developed, and "empowered" financial future in Vietnam!
Disclaimer: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from MaiMoney’s independent research. The total sample size was 455 adults and interviewed between 15th June 2023 - 29th April 2024. The survey and interviews are both carried out online and in person. All participants in the research are Vietnamese adults (aged 18+).
This article is published by MaiMoney, a financial technology company. MaiMoney's headquarters is located at 40 Phan Boi Chau, Cua Nam, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
The information on this website is general in nature as it is prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. You should consider the relevant Terms of Use and seek appropriate financial and tax advice before deciding whether MaiMoney is suitable for you.
MaiMoney's MaiGreen investment product is currently available to residents of Vietnam.
