Conventional wisdom suggests that investing is for people with significant extra cash in the bank. But starting early, even with small amounts, could potentially pay off.
Over time, investment earnings can grow even further - a process called compounding. The earlier you start, the more time that growth has the potential to build.
The time lottery: why starting early matters
The reason? Compound interest. When you're young, you have the winning ticket to the time lottery.
"I know I have time on my side," said Krish Waje, a 27-year-old small business owner. Krish is the founder of refillable candle business, Lunaire , and has been investing for the past six years.
Krish says, "I started investing after learning about employee shares at a tech company in my early 20s. At the time I did a bit of research and I talked to family and friends who knew a bit more about investing. It piqued my interest and I started investing from there.
"Now I have a mix of international shares, domestic shares and exchange-traded funds. I've previously dabbled in buying and selling, but now I want to hold for the long term.
"I eventually want to grow this so that it can create an income for me," Krish said.
While Krish is seizing investment opportunities now, many Australians, particularly young adults are held back by common misconceptions about investing.
CBA customer, Krish Waje What's stopping young investors?
CommBank research1 shows Gen Z new and novice investors cite these hurdles among their top barriers to investing:
- Feel it's too complicated and need to build confidence
- Unsure of where to invest (which platform to use)
- Feel they don't have enough money
For Krish, despite investing from an already young age, she said her primary barrier was not knowing much about investing.
"It can feel quite scary at the start because it's a whole new world and people often think you need a lot of money to invest. But I don't think that's the case. You can start with whatever you have" she said.
Guided by customer research and market feedback, the bank is tackling these challenges head-on. The aim is to make investing simpler and more accessible for young Australians.
Education helps unlock confidence
CBA's Executive General Manager, Wealth and Private, Susie Grehl, said, "The real need we see is for simplicity - let's strip out the technical jargon and talk to people as you would explain something to a friend."
In July 2024, the bank launched the Investing Hub online to its nine million customers who actively use the CommBank app.2
Since then, nearly three million customers have benefitted from free educational tools and content on topics such as 'can you afford to invest' and 'how to create an investing strategy.'
CBA's Executive General Manager, Susie Grehl A simpler way to invest
To help younger customers on their investment journey, the bank developed Everyday Investing , a new investment offering the bank thinks will resonate with younger adults.
Everyday Investing is informed and shaped by what customers were telling the bank about what has been holding them back from investing.
"We know there is a lot of choice out there which can be confusing. We want to make it easier and give customers access to a range of diversified funds which are professionally managed. You can manage it in the app you use every day for your regular banking," Grehl said.
"Investments start from $2 - that's less than a coffee. From here you are on your way as an investor," she added.
CBA's Everyday Investing became available in mid-2025. It gives customers access to four managed fund investment fund options with diversified market exposure.
Ms Grehl says an option like Everyday Investing can provide a solid base of diversified investments with the option to layer other investment options.
"Once you've built a solid, diversified foundation, you could consider adding other options such as sustainable investments, technology-focused funds, or dividend-paying assets - to suit your preferences and goals" Ms Grehl said.
Tips to get started with investing?
Krish's tips on investing are "Just start and be consistent. Because of compound interest, if you keep adding to it and don't touch it, your future self will really thank you."
Everyday Investing in the CommBank App 
