Media Release
$201 billion wealth surge exposes urgent investor knowledge gap
27 September 2026
A $201.1 billion surge in Australian household wealth, driven by superannuation and financial assets rather than property, has underscored the urgent need for Australians to improve their investment knowledge.
New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show household wealth increased by 1.0% to a record $19.39 trillion in the June quarter. Superannuation reserves rose by $231.3 billion and shares and other equity increased by $35.6 billion, while the value of land and dwellings fell by $28.7 billion.
The figures provide a timely snapshot of Australia’s changing wealth engine ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest-rate decision on Tuesday, as elevated borrowing costs place renewed pressure on property investors and mortgage holders.
They also come as the inaugural GXIQ Investor Scorecard 2026 reveals a significant gap between Australians’ growing exposure to financial markets and their understanding of core investment fundamentals.
Based on research involving 2,012 current and prospective investors, the national average GXIQ score was 63 out of 100. Only 15% of current investors achieved an Advanced rating, while more than half were classified as Beginner or Intermediate investors.
Marc Jocum, Senior ETF Strategist at Global X ETFs Australia, said Australians can no longer afford to remain disengaged from the markets shaping their wealth, as the composition of household wealth may be changing.
“For decades, Australia’s default wealth strategy has been relatively simple: buy the right property in the right suburb and hold it for the long term,” Mr Jocum said.
“Property will remain an important part of wealth creation, but it cannot be our entire strategy. The latest ABS figures show household wealth increased by more than $200 billion even as land and dwelling values declined, with superannuation and equity markets doing the heavy lifting.
“With borrowing costs elevated, and an interest rate hike from the RBA expected this week, Aussie households will be feeling the pressure. As a nation we really need to raise our understanding of diversification, risk and investment options, because whether we like it or not, our financial futures will be shaped by assets well beyond the Monopoly board.”
The ABS data shows household financial assets increased by $297.4 billion overall during the quarter. At the same time, household liabilities increased by $73.5 billion, including a $72.5 billion rise in long-term loans driven by housing lending to both investors and owner-occupiers.
Mr Jocum said the figures should not be interpreted as evidence that property was a poor investment or that one quarter represented a permanent change in the way Australians create wealth.
“The latest figures are a powerful reminder that wealth creation is a multi-asset game. Property, shares and superannuation all play different roles, and understanding how they work together is becoming increasingly important for Australian investors,” he said.
“That’s why investment knowledge matters. Australians need to understand the role different assets play, how concentration can increase risk and why diversification is essential to a long-term strategy.
“Almost every working Australian is already an investor through superannuation, whether they realise it or not. Investment knowledge is no longer optional when so much of our retirement wealth depends on global financial markets.”
The GXIQ Investor Scorecard 2026 found Australians with lower levels of investment knowledge were more likely to prefer property and substantially less likely to follow a defined investment strategy.
Find your GXIQ
Australians can take the free 15-question quiz, receive their GXIQ score and compare their investment knowledge with the national benchmark at www.globalxetfs.com.au.
For All Media Queries
Please contact James Mitchell, Global X ETFs | +61 413 619 034 | james.mitchell@globalxetfs.com.au
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About Global X ETFs
Global X ETFs was founded in 2008. For more than a decade, our mission has been empowering investors with unexplored and intelligent solutions. Our product lineup features over 500 ETF strategies worldwide and over US$170 billion in assets under management.1 While we are distinguished for our Thematic Growth, Income, and International Access ETFs, we also offer Core, Commodity, and Alpha funds to suit a wide range of investment objectives.
Global X is a member of Mirae Asset Financial Group, a global leader in financial services, with more than US$800 billion in assets under management worldwide2. Mirae Asset has an extensive global ETF platform ranging across the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam with over US$208 billion in assets under management.3
1. Assets under management as at June 2026, Global X
2. Assets under management as at July 2026, Mirae Asset Financial Group
3. Assets under management as at July 2026, Mirae Asset Global Investments
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