What you probably already know: Women investors are turning to venture capital, with 67% saying they plan to make new VC investments this year. More than three of four women invest based on values, while 58% prioritize gender. Top investment categories are women’s health, AI and health care delivery, though the overall market has been slow to respond to the preferences of women investors. “The Women, Wealth & the Capital Continuum 2026 Report” from How Women Invest and How Women Lead found that almost half of women investors don’t have a clear plan, noting that confidence gaps are more structural than psychological. Nearly nine in 10 respondents from How Women Invest — a venture capital platform — have already participated in at least one private-market investment, though many women admit they’re more comfortable with public markets.
Why it matters: "In a market where caution is the norm, the data tells a different story for women investors," says Julie Castro Abrams, CEO and managing partner of HWL and HWI. “It points to disciplined participation rather than speculative risk-taking.” Two-thirds of women surveyed intend to invest a small amount, up to $49,000. The report underscores that women desire to build sustained portfolios of their own, not just in areas historically dominated by men. “Gender diversity is not a soft signal,” the report says. “It meaningfully influences where (women) invest,” with more one-third of survey respondents calling it a “major factor” or “outright requirement.”
What it means: In a survey released last year, McKinsey & Co. says women control about one-third of all retail financial assets in the U.S. and European Union, a share projected to rise as high as 45% by 2030. However, women are less likely to work with financial advisers, as 53% of assets now controlled by women are unmanaged, something McKinsey calls a “$10 trillion opportunity” in the next four years. At the same time, “women’s expanding control of assets is transforming the landscape of financial markets,” adding that social trends including the drop in marriage rates and rise in divorces means that a growing share of women have full financial autonomy.
What happens next: McKinsey says the “industry has yet to recognize the unique goals and preferences of female investors,” with marketing identical to that of men. The How Women Invest report notes that private markets are increasingly under pressure, with limited partner formation slowing and first-time fund commitments more difficult to secure, adding that the next phase of private market growth must meet women where they are. One “unavoidable” conclusion: “Women are aligned on values, clear on the problems they want to solve and increasingly disciplined in a volatile environment. What differentiates action from intention is access, education and trusted communities” rather than rise or belief in private markets.
