The number of stock market accounts on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) soared past the 2 million mark in 2024, hitting 2.86 million individual accounts in 2024–an all-time high.
Ramon Monzon, PSE chief executive officer (CEO) and president, said over the weekend the 50 percent jump in total accounts is the highest the PSE has recorded since the exchange started tracking investor data and profile in 2008.
“This substantial growth was made possible by the enabling of digital platforms to connect to PSE’s trading engine, thereby facilitating the trading by investors in the market. PSE is committed to being true to its advocacy of promoting financial inclusion,” Monzon said.
Filipinos are increasingly becoming financially literate as demographics and market conditions improve, Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., told this paper on Sunday.
The exchange said it logged a 50.1 percent jump from 1.91 million accounts in 2023, largely driven by a surge in online trading, which expanded by 62 percent to 2.47 million accounts.
“This 50 percent jump in the number of accounts is the highest we have recorded since we started tracking the investor count and profile,” Monzon said.
“This substantial growth was made possible by the enabling of digital platforms to connect to PSE’s trading engine,” he said.
The PSE emphasized that beyond the impressive growth, investor education remains a top priority.
“What is important is that retail investors are equipped with investment know-how to avoid investing pitfalls,” Monzon said, citing PSE’s partnerships with trading participants, government agencies, and private institutions in promoting financial literacy.
The exchange has rolled out digital platforms such as the updated PSE EASy mobile app, which allows local small investors to participate in public offerings, and PSE EQUIP, a subscription-based service providing real-time market data.
Retail investors made up 98.9 percent of total stock market accounts in 2024, with locals owning 99 percent of these accounts.
Online trade values also rose, with the average online transaction value increasing by 7.9 percent to P50,746.82.
Despite strong growth in account numbers, Monzon noted that retail investors still contribute only 16 percent of total market turnover.
He is, however, positive that investor participation will rise further with the upcoming reduction in the stock transaction tax from 0.6 percent to 0.1 percent under the newly signed Republic Act No. 12214, or the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act.
The PSE’s annual Stock Market Investor Profile Report also showed shifts in investor demographics.
The 30 to 44 age group remained dominant, accounting for nearly half of all accounts. Investors aged 18 to 29 posted the most growth, signaling increasing market engagement among young Filipinos.
Based on the report, most investors earned less than P500,000 annually, but regional participation outside Metro Manila rose significantly, particularly in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Foreign nationals with the most accounts, or 29.9 percent, were Japanese, Chinese 19.8 percent, and Americans 13 percent.
“We continue to see the impact of partnerships between PSE-accredited trading participants and digital platforms,” Monzon said.
“The result is a younger and more geographically diverse investor base,” he added.
