DIY investment market grows by over 20% to £572bn in 2025 

• Two million investors open new accounts
• Hargreaves Lansdown loses market share as smaller competitors gain edge

The UK DIY investment market swelled by more than £100 billion (22%) in 2025, reaching £572 billion by the end of December 2025 – up from £468 billion a year earlier, according to new data* from investment research firm Boring Money.

19% more DIY investment accounts opened

By December 2025, there were more than 13.4 million DIY investment accounts open, up 19% on the previous year. Over 2 million new accounts were opened during 2025 alone.

Holly Mackay, founder and CEO of Boring Money, comments, “The last five years have seen DIY investing move into the mainstream as more Brits take the plunge. Five years ago, it was more expensive and harder to get started, and there were 6.6 million accounts open. By the end of last year that number had more than doubled. Lower costs, more competition and simpler, user-friendly apps have made it much easier for people to invest for themselves. 2026 is set to be another big year of growth as the shine comes off crypto, interest rates fall, stock markets remain defiantly upbeat and the Government supports industry campaigns to get Britain investing.”

A handful of platforms still dominate

Despite strong growth, most of the money is still held by a small number of providers. The five largest platforms by assets – Hargreaves Lansdown, interactive investor, Fidelity, AJ Bell and Vanguard – collectively hold £413 billion, representing 72% of total market share.

Holly continues: “While the market is growing quickly, it’s still dominated by a handful of big names. The five largest providers hold nearly three quarters of all assets. But that grip is starting to loosen. Hargreaves Lansdown’s share has fallen from 39% in 2020 to 33% in 2025 as cheaper and newer rivals gain ground. We’ve already seen this pressure feed through into pricing, with recent fee cuts showing that even the biggest players can’t ignore increased competition.”

35–44 year olds now driving growth

The fastest growth in 2025 came from 35–44 year-olds, marking a shift from the previous year when it was under-35s driving growth:

• 34% of 35–44s now invest, up from 27% in January 2025
• Among men in this age group, 43% now invest (up from 33%)
• Among women, 26% now invest (up from 22%)

Growth is also coming from people with smaller amounts to invest:

• 26% of those with less than £10,000 saved now invest, up from 22% in January 2025
• 52% of people earning £40,000–£69,999 now invest, up from 48%

* Market data on AUA and Customer Accounts from 25+ platforms, conducted by Boring Money.