PH Stock Market: 2 Million Investors Milestone
- The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) experienced a significant boost in 2024, with total stock market accounts reaching 2.86 million, a 50.1% increase from 1.91 million the previous year.
- Monzon,PSE president and CEO,noted the importance of investor education alongside this growth.
- The PSE also offers digital channels like PSE EASy and PSE EQUIP to support retail investors.
The Philippine Stock Exchange saw a remarkable surge in retail investors, with accounts soaring 50.1% in 2024, reaching 2.86 million due to a 62% increase in online trading accounts. News Directory 3 delivers the data: the 30-44 age bracket holds the largest share, while female investors slightly outnumber male investors.Local investors dominate account ownership, and the PSE continues to focus on investor education and digital tools. This growth shows that the stock market is accessible and attractive to a broader audience. What does this growth mean for the future?
Philippine Stock Exchange Sees Surge in Retail Investors, Fueled by Online Growth
Updated June 22, 2025
The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) experienced a significant boost in 2024, with total stock market accounts reaching 2.86 million, a 50.1% increase from 1.91 million the previous year. This surge was largely driven by a 62% rise in online accounts, which climbed to 2.47 million from 1.53 million in 2023.
Ramon S. Monzon,PSE president and CEO,noted the importance of investor education alongside this growth. the PSE aims to equip retail investors with the knowledge to navigate the market effectively. Various initiatives, including the PSE Academy website and collaborations with trading participants, government, and private entities, support this goal.
The PSE also offers digital channels like PSE EASy and PSE EQUIP to support retail investors. The updated PSE EASy mobile app allows local small investors to subscribe to and pay for initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on offerings directly.PSE EQUIP now features a premium subscription model providing real-time market data.
Retail investors make up 98.9% of total account owners, while institutional investors account for the remaining 1.1%. Local investors own 99% of accounts,with foreign investors holding the rest. the average value of online trades increased by 7.9% to 50,746.82 pesos. Non-online trades also saw a 4.5% increase, averaging 99,823.86 pesos per transaction.
Monzon expressed optimism that a reduction in stock transaction tax (STT) from 0.6% to 0.1%, along with investor education programs and new exchange products, will encourage greater investor activity throughout 2025. The STT reduction is part of Republic Act No. 12214, also known as the Capital Markets efficiency Promotion act.
More women than men are investing. Female investors slightly outnumber male investors in both total and online accounts, at 50.7% to 49.3% and 50.8% to 49.2%, respectively.
The 30-to-44 age group holds the largest share of both total and online accounts, increasing from the previous year. They now account for 48.8% of total accounts (up from 45.6%) and 51.6% of online accounts (up from 49% in 2023). The 18-to-29 age group also saw growth, holding 26.5% of total accounts (up from 19.5%) and 28.4% of online accounts (up from 21.5%).
Investors earning less than 500,000 pesos annually continue to represent the largest portion of retail accounts, increasing to 82.4% of total accounts (from 70.9%) and 86.2% of online accounts (from 76.7%).
Local investors account for 99.4% of total accounts and 99.5% of online accounts. The share of Metro manila-based investors decreased, while accounts in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao all increased. Japanese, Chinese, and American citizens hold the most foreign-owned accounts.
“We continue to see the impact of partnerships between PSE-accredited trading participants