The Central Bank of Russia published findings from a household investment literacy survey showing that most retail investors understand the risk-return trade-off and 85% distinguish between investments and savings, but many misperceive protections for private investments. The survey found 42% of respondents mistakenly believe the government insures private investments, while a further 23% are unsure. The results highlight informal sources of investor education: over a third of respondents learned how to invest from Telegram channels and social media pages, around the same number from discussions with friends, and another third from bloggers’ advice. The survey describes the average investor in a city with over one million residents as a 31 to 45-year-old man with a university degree; most respondents are employed, with around a third working as employees or specialists and one in ten running a business. A plurality of investors plan to improve their investment knowledge over the next 12 months. The Central Bank of Russia also proposed a new investment literacy index to assess how prudently households invest by factoring in risks and potential returns. The baseline reading was 14.79 points out of 25, and the index is intended to be recalculated every three years to help shape the Bank’s investor education projects.
Central Bank of Russia 2025-04-09
Central Bank of Russia survey finds widespread misconceptions about state insurance of private investments and introduces an investment literacy index
The Central Bank of Russia released a survey indicating that while most retail investors understand the risk-return trade-off, 42% mistakenly believe the government insures private investments. The survey also highlights informal education sources, with many learning from social media and bloggers. Additionally, the Bank proposed a new investment literacy index, with a baseline of 14.79 out of 25, to guide future investor education initiatives.