Chinese Families Shift to Cash and Cautious Stock Investments as Real Estate Declines
Chinese families are increasingly moving away from real estate investments, opting instead for cash reserves and cautious stock market bets. This shift is driven by a decline in the role of property in wealth accumulation and low deposit rates. According to a Goldman Sachs report, the share of property in household assets dropped from 67% in mid-2021 to 52% in the first quarter of 2026, while cash and bank deposits rose from 16% to 25%. This trend reflects a broader structural shift in household asset allocation in China. Many families are liquidating non-core properties to diversify their asset structures, with direct stock holdings among Chinese households slightly increasing. This cautious approach contrasts with South Korean retail investors, who are aggressively leveraging to invest in tech ETFs. 
