Retail Investors Drive Historic 23-Month Equity Buying Streak Amid Shifting Asset Preferences
Retail investors have notched a 23-month net buying streak in equities, marking the longest sustained inflow since the 2020-2022 period. This surge comes as individuals seek inflation-resistant assets, with ETF purchases continuing for 158 consecutive days.
The meme stock phenomenon persists, though its character evolves. Retail traders now demonstrate sharper reaction times to market conditions, fueling several of 2025's most dramatic rallies. Their behavior shift coincides with the AI sector's ascendancy—a bull market confluence rewriting market dynamics.
Cryptocurrencies like BTC, once hailed as digital gold, increasingly behave as risk-on assets tracking NASDAQ's volatility. Year-to-date figures tell the tale: NASDAQ up 20%, BTC down 5.3%. This performance gap has redirected some retail capital toward equities, though crypto's speculative appeal endures.
