Women's Financial Power Grows, Investment Remains Low: UBS Report

According to the latest UBS report, Women are increasingly shaping and adding up to the global wealth and influencing financial decisions, yet the structures that govern capital allocation continue to be largely controlled by male-led institutions. The UBS is a prominent financial services and wealth management firm across the globe.

The organization’s new study on gender-lens investing reveals a notable gap between influence and management in the financial system, while women account for nearly one-third of retail assets in the U.S. and Europe, 53% of this wealth remains outside professional management.

The report also highlights that women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership, holding only 29% of C-suite roles and about 30% of broad seats in the U.S., with similarly low participation in global investment leadership positions.

Key Highlights:

• UBS report notes that women control more wealth, yet capital systems remain male-dominated
• Women-led startups receive only 1.3% of venture capital funding
• UBS finds no performance gap across male and female-led portfolios

The venture capital gap is even starker, as the report notes that start-ups founded exclusively by women secure only about 1.3% of total venture funding in the U.S. and Europe. This underscores a persistent imbalance in early-stage capital allocation and funding.

These widening disparities are accelerating interest in gender-lens investing; a funding approach that prioritizes women-led firms, female entrepreneurs, and companies actively expanding economic inclusion for women.

However, the UBS report suggests that the conversation goes beyond a targeted investment strategy. It raises deeper questions around capital access, leadership inclusion, and the foundations of sustainable wealth creation across the financial system.

The finding also further challenges the old ways around investment leadership and suggests redefining them. Citing Morningstar research, the UBS report notes there is no significant difference in returns between female-only, male-only, or mixed-gender portfolio management teams through the end of 2024.