FCA Survey Finds Investment FOMO Harder to Spot Than…
Urgency and rising prices can feel like evidence
The survey found a sharp difference in how participants responded to countdowns and price movements. Fifty-nine percent recognised a ticking clock like the one in “Saw” as a device to make a character act rashly. Only 5% said they would be suspicious of the pressure created by a rising investment price graph. That contrast matters because a price chart can look factual while still prompting an emotional reaction: a rapid rise may create fear of missing out even if it says nothing about whether an asset is fairly valued or suitable for a particular person.
Similarly, 47% recognised that horror sequels often repackage familiar threats as something new, but just 12% said they would be sceptical of an investment described as “groundbreaking new.” One in ten said novelty would make them more likely to invest. Novelty can be a legitimate feature of financial innovation, but it is not evidence of quality, transparency or customer protection. New products may have limited track records, unfamiliar terms and risks that are difficult to compare with established alternatives.
Peer influence is another pressure point. Eighty percent identified “everyone’s doing it” as a warning sign in a horror scenario, yet 29% said excitement in a friend group or chat about an investment would reassure them or increase their trust in the opportunity. Social proof is powerful because recommendations often come from people the recipient knows. But a friend’s enthusiasm does not establish that the investment has been checked, that the promoter is qualified or that the product’s risks are understood.
The FCA’s consumer investments director Lucy Castledine said hype, urgency and fear of missing out can influence investment decisions, and urged consumers to research an opportunity before acting. The regulator points users to its InvestSmart campaign and Hype Type Revealer, a tool intended to help people recognise what influences their choices.
FinanceFeeds has covered previous FCA research into young investors and social media, including a survey that found competition and online hype influenced high-risk investment decisions. It has also reported on the FCA’s campaign to warn retail investors against hype and on pressure-selling concerns involving high-risk products, tax anxiety among UK investors, and a European survey of retail investing habits. The regulator’s broader finfluencer enforcement effort provides further context. The new FCA survey uses a distinct sample and scenario design.
Turning recognition into a pause
Investor education may need to address the moment of decision, not only explain concepts in advance. Someone can know that “too good to be true” is a warning and still respond to a rising chart, limited-time message or confident group chat. Recognisable examples could help people pause, verify a promoter and ask what happens if an investment falls.
However, the FCA survey does not establish which intervention will work best. It reports responses to hypothetical scenarios. People may answer differently when they are risking money, when someone they trust recommends an asset, or when a product is being promoted by a regulated firm. The regulator says initial testing of the Hype Type Revealer with more than 600 retail investors reduced high-risk decisions by 34.9% even seven days later, but that result concerns a separate intervention test, not the Attest survey itself.
Firms influence the decision environment. Countdown clocks, “last chance” banners, celebrity promotion and rewards can affect perceived urgency. The issue is whether presentation helps customers assess risk or steers them toward action.
Novel products also need plain explanations of how returns and losses arise, who holds customer assets and what protections apply. A familiar brand or regulated status is not approval of every investment promoted on a platform.
Consumers can pause to check whether a deadline is real, verify the legal entity and authorization, read the terms and costs, consult independent sources and assess whether the amount fits their circumstances. A legitimate opportunity should withstand basic due diligence.
What the survey can tell us
Fieldwork took place on 9 October 2026 among 666 UK adults aged 18 to 40 who held investments or would consider buying them within a year. Around half held a Stocks and Shares ISA, one in four owned crypto and nearly one in ten owned NFTs. The sample does not represent all consumers.
The horror-film comparison is a communication device, not an equivalence with financial marketing. It highlights how people may notice pressure in one context and miss it in another. Regulators and firms can use that insight to improve prompts without making consumers solely responsible for resisting professional marketing tactics.
Takeaway: The FCA survey suggests that urgency, novelty and group excitement can weaken consumers’ scepticism when financial choices feel immediate. It does not prove how people behave with real money, but it supports a practical focus on decision-time safeguards: clear terms, space to pause and independent checks before acting on investment hype.
