The 2026 Investor Insights Report: How everyday investors build long-term confidence
Over the past year, investors have faced volatile economic conditions with remarkable confidence and optimism. Though inflation and geopolitical turmoil have sparked some uncertainty, the markets have demonstrated resilience — and a 2026 survey of 1,000 U.S. investors conducted by SoFi reveals a clear positive mindset.
In fact, nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) report feeling “optimistic, excited, or content about their investments over the past year.” The SoFi survey findings also suggest that these investors are willing to stay the course, with 92% saying they had invested money in their portfolio the past year. Even amid market swings, 41% bought investments, compared to 23% in SoFi’s 2025 Investor Survey.
Below, SoFi takes an in-depth look at investor confidence now, as reflected by the survey, as well as a closer examination of these investors’ attitudes and behaviors in 2026.
Key Findings From the SoFi 2026 Investor Survey
- Seventy-three percent feel optimistic, excited, or content about their investments over the past year, the SoFi Investor Confidence survey found.
- Fifty-three percent say economic conditions made them want to invest more.
- Forty-nine percent primarily waited things out during market swings; 41% primarily bought investments.
- Thirty-eight percent made an impulse investment decision due to market volatility — and 68% of them are happy with it.
- Thirty-six percent plan to increase how much they invest overall over the next year, vs. 28% in SoFi’s 2025 survey.
- Fifty-five percent say inflation is the biggest threat to their portfolio.
Methodology
The 2026 SoFi Investor Confidence & Insights Survey was conducted on May 15, 2026, among 1,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older who currently have investments in their portfolios. All percentages are weighted to U.S. Census demographics. Due to rounding and multi-select questions, percentages may not total 100%.
Investors Are Optimistic Despite a Turbulent Market
The market may have been turbulent this year, but findings from the 2026 SoFi Investor Survey suggest that investors themselves remain engaged and hopeful, whether investing online or through other channels. Only 14% of investors surveyed report feeling stressed about their investments, while 73% feel optimistic, excited, or content about investing in the past year.
Despite the cost-of-living increases sparked by tariffs, as well as inflation (and concerns about the cost of energy), a surprising one-third (33%) of investors specifically say they feel optimistic about investing, with another 22% expressing excitement about their investments over the past year and 18% feeling content.
This isn’t to say investors don’t have concerns. The risk of inflation is top of mind for more than half of the respondents. Rather, this upbeat mood may reflect that, volatility aside, many investors may perceive new opportunities emerging. Over half of investors surveyed (53%) say current economic conditions have made them want to invest more, suggesting a sense of opportunity and confidence, while only 17% say recent events made them want to invest less.
Amid Market Swings, Most Investors Held Steady or Bought More
Interestingly, the most common reaction to market swings this past year wasn’t panic or panic-selling. Instead, findings from the survey show that nearly half of investors (49%) were able to wait things out, whether through a sense of discipline or patience. Another large group (41%) responded to volatility by looking for new opportunities to buy.
Call it the ability to stay calm, or confidence about the road ahead, but buyers (41%) now nearly match holders (49%).
When asked how much of their investments they sold off overall in the past year, a full 40% of survey participants say they didn’t sell any of their investments in the past year. Only about 4% of respondents say they sold 75% or more.
Impulse Investment Decisions Are Up, and Investors Don’t Regret Them
Another signal that these investors are feeling confident in the markets and in their choices: There was a significant jump in the number of investors surveyed who made impulsive investment decisions in response to volatility this year: 38% in 2026, versus 19% last year.
Caution is always warranted when making an investment, given the risk of loss involved, and it’s prudent to make sure any investing decision aligns with your overall goals.
That increase in impulse investing doesn’t seem to reflect a reckless mood, however, as much as an opportunistic one — in a good way, judging by people’s reactions so far. Among this group of investors, a full 68% say they’re happy with their choices, only 19% report that they’re not sure, and 13% expressing regret.
This may reflect a broader trend among self-directed investors this past year, which shows retail trading volume up by 65% in May and June over the same period in 2025, according to Morningstar.
What the Data Shows
Despite economic volatility and inflation concerns in 2026, the majority of investors surveyed remain optimistic and focused on opportunities. In fact, the percentage of investors who bought investments when faced with market swings (41%) nearly matched the percentage of those who held steady (49%).
What Investors’ Portfolios Look Like Right Now
Now, consider these indicators in light of people’s different investment strategies and portfolios overall. Notably, nearly a third of investors surveyed (30%) said they invested $5,000 or more in their portfolio over the past year, and 24% said they invested between $1,000 and $4,999 (only about 8% said they didn’t invest any money).
Portfolio Composition
As in years past, the most commonly held investment was equities, with nearly three-quarters of investors surveyed (74%) saying they invest in stocks, similar to the 2025 survey results.
“Rebalancing an investment portfolio can help investors stay on track to meet their long-term goals,” says Brian Walsh, CFP, and head of advice and planning at SoFi. “By ensuring that there is a steady mix — or diversification — of assets in their portfolio, they can stay on top of their investments in a way that works with their risk tolerance and their financial needs.”
Beyond Stocks: How Investors Are Diversifying
Investors continue to be aware of the potential benefits of diversification, a strategy that involves investing in a mix of asset classes beyond the common stock, bond, and cash allocation. The idea is that portfolio diversification may potentially offset some investment risk.
Investors seem to be aware of this strategy, with many reporting they have branched out beyond stocks, and reporting a range of holdings in their portfolios, including alternative investments such as gold, commodities, and real estate investment trust (REIT) investments.
Crypto Interest Is Growing, Sentiment Is Mixed
Cryptocurrency continues to live up to its reputation as a volatile sector, with certain digital assets and some crypto-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) down sharply, according to Morningstar.
Unlike traditional asset classes such as stocks and bonds, cryptocurrency is a digital asset and is considered an alternative asset. Buying, holding, and selling cryptocurrencies generally involves strict risk management, given their high risk level, which may include limiting their allocation in a portfolio. While purchasing crypto is appealing for some people, others express uncertainty about these assets, suggesting some polarization.
As a baseline, 39% of those surveyed say they hold cryptocurrency in their portfolio, up from 26% in 2025. In addition, 44% say they purchased crypto over the past year as an alternative to stock. Twenty-four percent of respondents purchased between $1,000 and $4,999 in crypto assets, and about 12% purchased $5,000 or more.
This reflects some optimism in this space. Sixty-nine percent of respondents feel generally positive about crypto, with 34% confident that it’s a worthwhile asset and 35% cautiously optimistic it will yield returns. Another 17% say it’s not worthwhile.
What the Data Shows
While traditional stocks are the most commonly held asset for nearly three-quarters of respondents, investors are also leaning into diversification by expanding into both lower-risk CDs as well as higher-risk alternative investments, such as commodities and REITs.
Investment Regrets: Most Wish They’d Bought More
Although nearly a third of investors (31%) have no investment regrets as they look back over the past year, many of those surveyed expressed the wish that they’d bought specific assets.
Only a few investors here express a conservative mindset, with just 5% saying they wish they’d moved more into cash.
What Investors Fear Most: Inflation, Recession, and Tariffs
Despite the overall optimistic mood among many investors surveyed, the findings show that most are keenly aware of the challenging economic conditions confronting many people this year.
Their responses suggest that there are a variety of concerns when it comes to what could impact their portfolios, with inflation taking the top spot: 55% of investors say that inflation or the rising cost of living is the biggest threat to their portfolio, 38% fear a recession, and 37% worry about a market correction.
Overall, people’s broad responses suggest an awareness of a multitude of factors in today’s climate, suggesting a realistic view of today’s complex economic environment.
Investors Are Highly Engaged: Most Check Their Portfolios Weekly
As you might expect from a group of investors with this broad level of awareness, many are highly engaged in their portfolios, with 71% total checking their investments at least once a week. Here’s a breakdown of these attentive investors:
- Twenty-two percent check every day
- Thirty-two percent check 2 to 3 times a week
- Seventeen percent check once a week
- Thirteen percent check a few times a month
- Nine percent check once a month
- Seven percent check less than once a month
Note that only 7% say they don’t check their portfolios at least monthly.
For the most part, however, these survey findings may suggest that many investors aren’t acting out of a sense of anxiety, as over half of participants (58%) rate the experience of checking their portfolio as a seven or higher on a 1 to 10 scale. Only about 10% of investors rate the experience a three or lower.
What the Data Shows
Investors are keenly aware of the challenges facing today’s economy, with many of those surveyed concerned about the potential impact of inflation, a recession, or a market correction. However, the vast majority remain engaged with investing. The top regret among participants was not buying more stock over the past year.
Looking Ahead: How Investors Plan to Change Their Strategy
Given the current level of optimism among investors surveyed, it makes sense that many are looking to up their game in the year ahead or hold steady. Over a third are planning to invest more (36%) — and only 9% say they’re going to pull back and invest less. Those aren’t the only changes investors have in mind, however.
For example, many investors say they’re planning to explore new strategies and approaches, including 23% who plan to work with a financial advisor in the coming year, 16% who plan to change up their asset allocation, and 18% who plan to buy a new type of investment.
Investing Mindset for 2026
Overall, the survey findings highlight a thoughtful investor mindset, with people weighing different potential outcomes.
For example, more than a third (35%) say they’re playing defense, so to speak, to protect the assets they have. About 25% are playing offense, taking on more risk in order to pursue returns. And 8% say they want to start fresh, by significantly rethinking their approach this year.
- Thirty-five percent are playing defense, focused on protecting what they have
- Thirty-two percent are staying put, not planning meaningful changes
- Twenty-five percent are playing offense, taking on more risk for potential returns
- Eight percent are starting fresh, significantly rethinking their approach
What These Findings Suggest About Investor Confidence in 2026
It’s fair to say that investor confidence depends on myriad factors. Yet even with considerable market turbulence in the past year, largely pertaining to rising tariffs and geopolitical tensions (on top of existing inflationary pressures), investors exhibited more optimism and engagement according to this year’s survey.
For example, 36% of investors surveyed in 2026 plan to invest more money in the coming year, vs. 28% from the 2025 survey. Last year, only 14% of investors planned to purchase a new type of investment; this year, closer to 1 in 5 did (18%).
Similarly, the opportunities in the market did spark some impulse investments both years, but findings from last year’s survey show that 57% said they were happy with that move versus 68% this year.
Resilience is another big theme in the 2026 Investor Confidence Survey. This year, investors said they were more likely to hold steady (49%) or buy (41%) in response to market swings. Last year, though, investors exhibited a more cautious outlook, with 73% saying they tended to wait things out and 23% saying they bought more.
The Takeaway
Overall, the findings from the 2026 Investor Confidence Survey point to potential shifts in how investors view today’s climate, and how some investors may be responding to different market forces and potential opportunities.
It’s worth noting that many investors indicate an awareness of recent volatility and express natural concerns about inflation, the potential for a recession, and similar factors, yet many still exhibit a general optimism and desire to stay invested for the long term.
This story was produced by SoFi Invest and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
