- DIY investment assets rose 22 per cent to £572 billion in 2025.
- More than 13.4 million accounts are now open across the UK.
- Five major platforms control 72 per cent of the market.
Britons are increasingly choosing to manage their own investments, pushing the UK’s DIY investment market up by more than £100 billion in 2025.
Assets held on direct-to-consumer platforms climbed 22 per cent over the year to reach £572 billion by December, up from £468 billion in 2024, according to data from investment research firm Boring Money.
By year-end, more than 13.4 million DIY investment accounts were open, a rise of 19 per cent on the previous year. Over two million new accounts were added during 2025 alone.
The shift appears to reflect a wider push from both government and industry to build a stronger investment culture in the UK. The FTSE index has risen 4.5 per cent so far this year, while policy changes may also be nudging savers towards the stock market. The Chancellor’s decision to cut the cash ISA allowance to £12,000 from April 2027, while keeping the stocks and shares ISA limit at £20,000, could be prompting some to reconsider where they park their money.
Holly Mackay, founder and chief executive of Boring Money, reportedly said the past five years have seen DIY investing move firmly into the mainstream. Five years ago, she reportedly said, there were 6.6 million accounts and it was both more expensive and more complicated to get started.
By the end of 2025, that figure had more than doubled. Lower fees, increased competition and easier-to-use apps have made investing more accessible, she reportedly said.
Mackay suggested 2026 could see further growth, particularly as crypto assets have fallen 25.1 per cent against the pound this year to date and the Bank of England prepares for potential interest rate cuts in the spring.
Big players still dominate
Despite the surge in new investors, the bulk of assets remain concentrated among a handful of providers. The five largest platforms — Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell, Interactive Investor, Fidelity and Vanguard — together hold £413 billion, accounting for 72 per cent of the market.
However, Mackay noted that the dominance of the largest firms may be softening as cheaper and newer rivals gain traction. Recent fee cuts, she reportedly said, suggest even established players are responding to mounting competition.
Growth has been particularly strong among 35 to 44-year-olds. Around 34 per cent in that age group now invest, up from 27 per cent last January, overtaking under-35s as the main drivers of expansion. Among men in that bracket, 44 per cent report actively investing, compared with 33 per cent previously. For women, participation rose from 22 per cent to 26 per cent.
Those with more modest savings are also stepping in. Around 26 per cent of people with less than £10,000 saved now invest in a bid to grow their wealth. Meanwhile, more than half of those earning between £40,000 and £69,999 use a DIY investment account.
The figures suggest that self-directed investing is no longer confined to the affluent or financially experienced. Whether this momentum continues may depend on market performance, policy decisions and how confident new investors feel navigating volatility on their own.
