Australian retail investors continued to invest during a volatile 2025, with buy orders accounting for roughly 75% of all trades on CMC Invest’s platform, according to the firm’s inaugural Inside Invest Report.
Released on Friday morning, the report found that investors continued to buy during market pullbacks and maintained a focus on long-term investing. Exchange-traded funds dominated activity, with iShares’ S&P 500 tracker (IVV), Vanguard’s international shares fund (VGS) and Australian shares fund (VAS) among the most traded instruments overall.
“When uncertainty rose, clients chose patience over panic. When opportunities emerged, they stepped forward with conviction,” said Fraser Allan, Director of Premium Client Trading ANZ at CMC Invest.
Home bias persists
Despite easy access to global markets, Australian investors maintained a strong preference for domestic stocks. ASX orders outnumbered US trades by a ratio of six to one, with financials and materials sectors proving particularly popular.
CSL attracted attention during share price weakness, with 84% of orders on the buy side, indicating investors were buying during price declines. Tesla showed similar dynamics, with buying activity spiking during April and July drawdowns.
NVIDIA emerged as the single most traded individual stock on the platform, amid sustained interest in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The chipmaker ranked fifth among all instruments when ETFs are included.
Bitcoin ranked as the ninth most traded instrument overall. Buy orders made up 82% of Bitcoin activity, according to the report.
“Markets rarely move in straight lines, and progress often comes from staying disciplined through uncertainty,” Allan said. “Local investors remained engaged, navigating a challenging year with a clear focus on long-term outcomes rather than short-term noise.”
Beyond the major markets, Japanese stock Metaplanet, a Bitcoin treasury company, ranked as the most traded name outside the ASX and US exchanges.
