Top 3 Myths Preventing Students from Investing: No Money, No Knowledge, Where to Start? [Survey Results]

According to the latest campus survey by Sinopac Securities, as many as 65.8% of students say they 'want to invest but haven't opened an account.' The three most common reasons are: 'I have zero financial knowledge,' 'I think opening an account is complicated,' and 'I don’t have much money to invest.' This article will help you overcome your anxiety about the stock market and guide you through your first steps in a safe and simple way.

Lack of knowledge is the biggest barrier for students taking their first investment step

Survey results show that among students who haven’t invested, over 50% cite 'lack of knowledge' as the reason they haven’t entered the market, while about one-third are held back by 'not knowing how to open an account.'

This highlights that investment education and access to information remain critical needs for young people.

Notably, the key obstacle preventing students from investing isn’t simply a lack of funds, but rather a lack of understanding about investment tools and processes.

Full survey results: [Survey Results] The 3 Biggest Myths Preventing Students from Investing

Pain Point 1: No time due to classes and part-time jobs? 'Age 18+' means 24/7 online application

Many students mistakenly believe that opening an account requires visiting during weekday business hours and spending one or two hours filling out forms.

Solution: At 18, you’re an adult! Open an account online in as fast as 7.5 minutes, anytime, anywhere

Once you’re 18, you’re legally an adult—you can make your own decisions. You don’t need to schedule time with your parents or visit a securities branch in person.

Sinopac Wealth Account offers 24/7 online account opening—you can even open an account from your dorm bed at midnight.

Just prepare your ID card, a second ID (health insurance card or driver’s license), and your regular bank account for settlement. Upload photos via smartphone, enter your details, and complete your application in as little as 5 to 10 minutes.

Additionally, Sinopac Securities’ Wealth Account offers a 'Fund Management Account (Sub-Account)' that supports 26 banks.

What is a sub-account?

Think of a sub-account as linking your existing bank account to your securities account—no need to open a new bank account.

University students: Open an account online now and receive a 988 TWD welcome gift

Pain Point 2: Lack of knowledge and fear of complexity? Safe investment options even for students

The biggest fear for beginners: 'How do I know which company will be profitable? What if it goes bankrupt?'

Solution: Choose 'Market-Cap ETFs' (e.g., popular Wealth Stock Market-Cap ETFs)

You don’t need to pick individual stocks. You can choose market-cap ETFs like 0050 (Yuanta Taiwan 50) or VOO, which tracks the U.S. stock market.

Buying them means you instantly own shares in the top 50 largest and most profitable companies in Taiwan or the U.S. (e.g., TSMC, Apple, Microsoft).

According to the TWSE’s June 115 monthly report on dollar-cost averaging account numbers, Yuanta Taiwan 50 ETF (0050) ranked first in number of trading accounts. We’ll use this as a teaching example: 0050 tracks Taiwan’s 50 largest listed companies, including TSMC, MediaTek, and Foxconn.

Its features include:

- Risk diversification: One ETF holds 50 companies, avoiding the risk of betting on a single stock - Low threshold: Share price around TWD 100; with Wealth Stock, you can start dollar-cost averaging from just TWD 100 - Strong long-term performance: According to the Wealth Stock website, 0050’s five-year annualized return is approximately 23.32%

For students just starting in the stock market, 0050 is one of the easiest investment options.

→ Sinopac Securities → Wealth Stock now offers 0050. Interested investors can start investing immediately.

Full survey results: [Survey Results] The 3 Biggest Myths Preventing Students from Investing

* Survey results only reflect the investment views and behaviors of respondents in this survey and do not represent the general situation of all students. Results may be affected by sample size, respondent background, and willingness to respond. Data is for reference only.