Only 7% of Women Feel Confident Investing at Any Income Level, While Men's Confidence Rises With Pay, KashKick Survey Finds

Earning more doesn't close the gender investing gap. Many women are open to easier ways to start, and knowing which tools and resources exist could help them take the first step.

Tampa, FL, Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nearly two-thirds of women (65%) surveyed by KashKick have no investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate or crypto, compared with 49% of men. That's according to new proprietary survey data from KashKick, a rewards platform that pays users via PayPal, Venmo and gift cards. The gap is often explained by the fact that women earn less. KashKick's data doesn't support that explanation: the gap holds at every income level, and it's widest among the highest earners.

Only 7% of women feel confident investing at any income level.

In KashKick's Financial Habits Survey, fielded in September 2026 among 25,000 U.S. adults, women earning $100,000 or more were twice as likely as men at the same income to have no investments (38% vs. 18%). The gap was 15 points among those earning under $50,000 (76% vs. 61%) and 14 points among those earning between $50,000 to $99,999 (57% vs. 43%).

The timing matters. Census Bureau data released this month shows the gender pay gap narrowing: women earned 83.9 cents for every dollar men earned in 2025, up from 80.6 cents the year before. KashKick's data suggests a narrower pay gap alone won't close the investing gap.

"The conventional explanation for the gender investing gap is income," said Yasmin Marinaro, VP of Consumer Marketing at KashKick. "Our data complicates that. Among the highest earners, women are twice as likely as men to have no investments, and their comfort with investing doesn't rise with their income. That points to a gap in confidence and access, not just capital."

Comfort rises with income for men but not for women

At every income level, just 7% of women said they are very or extremely comfortable investing. Among men, comfort rises with pay, from 15% of those earning under $50,000 to 25% of those earning $100,000 or more.

Having investments doesn't close the gap either. Among respondents who already invest, only 12% of women said they feel very comfortable doing so, compared with 25% of men. Overall, 51% of women said they are uncomfortable investing or don't invest at all, compared with 32% of men. That tracks with national research: a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia survey found that women who don't own stocks were more likely than men to say they don't understand the stock market (43% vs. 34%), while men and women were about equally likely to cite a lack of money.

Women are open to easier ways in

Many women aren't saying no to investing. More than a quarter (28%) of women surveyed said they would try an automated savings or interest-earning tool.

Evidence suggests simpler setups work. According to Vanguard's How America Saves 2026, women in workplace retirement plans, where contributions come straight out of each paycheck, save a higher share of their pay than men at every income level.

Closing the gap starts with discovery

If comfort is the barrier, the first step is often simply knowing which tools exist and trying one with little at stake. Women say as much themselves. In an April 2026 Vanguard survey of U.S. women, 35% said a trusted recommendation would make them more confident with their money, and 30% said more education would. Through app discovery offers, KashKick members earn cash for trying new apps, including financial tools for budgeting, saving and building credit. KashKick also publishes free, plain-language guides on saving, budgeting, building credit and getting started with investing, so members can learn the basics alongside the tools they try.

Why this matters

For banks, fintechs and employers, the data suggests income-based targeting misses a large share of women who aren't investing. That includes high earners, who have the money but not the comfort. The opportunity is to bring accessible tools and clear education to the platforms women already use every day.

Women are less likely than men to invest at every income level, and the gap is widest among those earning $100,000 or more.

Press Inquiries

Yasmin Marinaro
yasmin [at] kashkick.com
https://kashkick.com
615 Channelside Drive, Ste 207 Tampa FL 33602