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More than 54% of Americans in low- to moderate-income brackets, with household incomes between $30,000 and $79,999 a year, are now investing in the capital markets, according to a survey from the BlackRock Foundation and Commonwealth. Over half of these investors started their journey in the past five years, a sign that retail investing is becoming more democratized and that the capital markets are reaching a broader segment of Americans than ever before.

The survey found that over one-third of investors who entered the capital markets in the last five years plan to invest long-term, for at least 11 more years. And 79% of these newer investors are both investing in retail markets and saving for retirement.

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That said, some of those surveyed said their financial insecurities often get in the way of staying consistent with investing. About a third of respondents said they had to pause investing at some point because they didn’t feel financially secure enough to continue. Emergency expenses were a common reason. In some cases, people even had to sell investments to deal with immediate financial needs. Many also said uncertainty about risks and not knowing what to invest in were reasons they hesitate or stop investing altogether.

When they do invest, individual stocks remain the most popular option, with 69% of respondents choosing them, followed by ETFs and mutual funds. Many newer investors are learning about investing through video-sharing sites like YouTube at 36% and social media at 35%.

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To get started, make sure you have a solid emergency fund first so that you won’t have to pull money out of the market if an unexpected expense pops up. Once you have that safety net, you can start putting money toward low-cost index funds or ETFs, which give you exposure to a wide range of companies without requiring you to pick individual stocks. Many platforms also offer automatic investing, which makes it easy to contribute a set amount regularly.

Before putting your money in the stock market, make sure you understand what you’re getting into. You can find many free resources online that explain what a stock is, how compounding works, and what diversification means. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the basics before diving in.