The boom in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continues in Switzerland. Today, 35 percent of Swiss investors invest in exchange-traded funds. A year ago, that figure was only 31 percent. That represents an increase of four percentage points.

This is shown by the new "ETF Investor Study Switzerland 2026" by Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), which was prepared on behalf of the financial portal finanzen.ch. ETFs are especially popular among younger investors. Of those under 45, 44 percent already use such products, while among those aged 45 and over, the figure is just 26 percent.

Women Account for 70 Percent of the Growth

The development among women is particularly striking. The share of female investors who own ETFs rose from 21 percent to 27 percent within a year, an increase of six percentage points. Among men, the increase was only one percentage point. This means that women accounted for 70 percent of the total growth.

Source: "ETF Investor Study Switzerland 2026" by Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU)

"The strong increase among women shows that ETFs are gaining ground among a broader range of investors. ETFs are on track to replace traditional investment funds as the standard product in Swiss investment portfolios - especially among younger investors," says study director Brian Mattmann of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

The trend is also reflected in financial literacy. The share of women with at least basic ETF knowledge rose from 38 percent to 44 percent. Among men, the figure remained unchanged at 64 percent.

The knowledge gap between the sexes has therefore narrowed, but it still amounts to a "considerable" 20 percentage points. To assess knowledge, respondents had to answer eight standard questions.

FinFluencers Influence Women More Often

FinFluencers, who communicate financial and investment topics via social media, are playing an increasingly important role in information gathering. As many as 37 percent of ETF investors have come into contact with such offerings. Across all investors, that share stands at 22 percent. Among ETF investors under 45, as many as 51 percent have engaged with such content.

ETFs are particularly often the focus. Of the ETF investors who have come into contact with FinFluencers, 74 percent noticed corresponding posts. The influence on women is especially notable. Of the female ETF investors with FinFluencer contact, 77 percent say this improved their understanding of financial investments.

For more than half of these investors, a purchase decision was also influenced, according to their own statements. Among men, that share is 30 percent.

New Responsibility for Financial Influencers

As their influence grows, so do the demands on information quality. "FinFluencers are more than a fringe phenomenon in financial communication; they convey knowledge and can even influence investment decisions," says co-author Jürg Fausch.

Accordingly, professionally accurate content and transparency about commercial interests are important. This applies not only to FinFluencers themselves, but also to banks and financial companies that work with them.

Active ETFs Are Becoming a Growth Segment

Alongside rising demand, the product offering is also changing. While ETFs have traditionally been associated primarily with passive index strategies, actively managed products are gaining importance.

Today, 13 percent of ETFs available in Switzerland are actively managed. Among newly launched products, almost every second ETF already follows an active strategy.

Source: "ETF Investor Study Switzerland 2026" by Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).

However, the broader selection also brings additional complexity. Of the respondents who oppose active ETFs, 43 percent cite a lack of understanding of the product concept as the main reason.

ETF Savings Plans Already Manage 800 Million Swiss Francs

For the first time, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts also examined the Swiss market for self-managed ETF savings plans. Among the providers analyzed, there are now more than 110,000 such savings plans. The assets invested in them exceed 800 million Swiss francs.

Nevertheless, adoption remains relatively low compared with interest. Only 14 percent of investors use an ETF savings plan for their freely available assets. Around one-third express interest in this form of investment. Younger clients are once again particularly well represented: 73 percent of users of ETF savings plans are younger than 45.

More Than 3,500 People Surveyed

The study is based on a survey of 3,572 people aged 18 to 79 in German-speaking and western Switzerland conducted by the market research institute intervista. The survey took place from May 28 to June 9, 2026, and is representative in terms of age, gender and language region.