Energy sector volatility has pushed micro investing app users toward ETFs and blue-chip dividend stocks. Reports show consistent inflows into energy dividend ETFs through these platforms, potentially signaling a hedging strategy among retail traders. Moreover, social media and mobile internet have sped up the growth of the virtual ecosystem. With over 2.4 billion users on Meta (previously Facebook) and billions more on WhatsApp and YouTube, the digital world is more connected than ever. The line between digital and physical life keeps blurring as many daily activities—hanging out, entertainment, shopping—are already happening in early metaverse settings. This has sparked the development of virtual learning, workplace collaborative tools, and blockchain-based gaming economies. According to NewGenApps , VR and AR gaming is set to reach 216 million players worldwide by 2025, with a market worth $11.6 billion. Markedly, a 2024 survey revealed that 34% of game developers globally are creating titles for the Meta Quest Store, a digital marketplace, showing strong developer interest in immersive gaming platforms. Most apps let you start micro-investing with as little as $1, so you can start with whatever is comfortable for your financial resources and budget. For example, consider canceling one of your streaming services and allocating that $15 per month to automatically go into your investment account. Or, maybe take the extra cash you get at Christmas and invest it. With micro-investing, every little amount helps grow your investments over time. Micro investing app-driven equity inflows are increasingly shaping pre-market movement in growth stocks, with retail traders collectively influencing gap-up openings in certain small- and mid-cap tickers.