Why National Investing Day exists—and why it matters

Celebrated on May 1, National Investing Day is an annual industry-wide effort to expand investing education, access, and confidence. It's a day meant to spark learning, conversation, and optimism about the future.

Founded by Schwab in 2025, National Investing Day traces back to a milestone that reshaped investing in the United States.

On May 1, 1975—often called "May Day"—the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission eliminated fixed commission rates.

Many firms responded by raising fees. Schwab's founder, Charles R. "Chuck" Schwab, chose a different path. He lowered costs, helping make investing more accessible to everyday Americans.

That decision helped open the door to investing for millions—and laid the foundation for what National Investing Day represents today.

National Investing Day urges more people to get—and stay—invested through education and empowerment.

• It invites people to engage with investing no matter where they are on their investing or financial journey.
• At its core, it's about helping people build confidence and take ownership of their financial futures.

There's no single way to take part.

• For some, the day is a chance to learn the basics or start a financial plan.
• For others, it's a chance to check in on goals, revisit investing principles, or share knowledge with family and friends.
• The most important thing is simply to engage—to start a conversation, ask questions, or take a moment to think about what being invested means to you.

As the founder of National Investing Day, Schwab uses this moment to reaffirm its long standing commitment to investing education—especially for young people and first time investors.

Through the Charles Schwab Foundation, Schwab partners with youth-serving nonprofits, including:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Junior Achievement
• Girl Scouts of America
• National 4-H Council
• SIFMA Foundation
• DonorsChoose

As part of this work, Charles Schwab Foundation, is funding the integration of the SIFMA Foundation's Stock Market Game™ into the Boys & Girls Clubs' Money Matters program, bringing real-world investing experiences to teens nationwide.

Additionally, in collaboration with SIFMA, Schwab also invites other firms across the financial services industry to participate in National Investing Day, reinforcing that it is a shared, industry-wide opportunity to educate, engage, and build confidence in investing.

Together, these efforts reflect the purpose of National Investing Day: expanding access, building confidence, and strengthening investing education for current and future generations.