New Delhi: The Economic Survey 2025-26, presented in Parliament on Thursday, revealed a significant rise in retail investor participation in India’s capital markets. A total of 2.35 crore new demat accounts were opened by December 2025 during the financial year 2025-26.
This milestone reflects growing financial literacy and trust in investment among Indian households. The increase comes amid global trade uncertainties and geopolitical tensions affecting markets worldwide.
The survey stated that despite fluctuations in foreign investment, Indian stock markets performed steadily and strongly from April to December 2025.
Supported by robust domestic investor participation, better corporate earnings, tax reliefs, easing inflation, and accommodative monetary policy, the Nifty rose by approximately 11.1 percent and the Sensex by about 10.1 percent during this period.
A notable achievement was recorded in September 2025, when the total number of unique demat investors in the country crossed 12 crore, with nearly one-fourth of them being women.
The growth in investor numbers is not limited to metropolitan cities. By December 2025, the mutual fund industry recorded 5.9 crore unique investors, of which 3.5 crore belonged to areas outside Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
The survey highlighted a gradual shift in domestic savings towards equities and mutual funds. The share of these instruments in annual household financial savings increased from just 2 percent in FY 2011-12 to over 15 percent in FY 2024-25.
A key driver of this change is the rapid growth of Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs). The average monthly SIP investment which was below ₹4,000 crore in FY 2016-17 has surged to over ₹28,000 crore so far in FY 2025-26.
According to the survey, this year saw a 20 percent increase in the number of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) compared to last year, with funds raised through IPOs growing by 10 percent. Additionally, the listing of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continues to rise, with 217 companies listed so far this year, raising over ₹9,600 crore.
The corporate bond market has also expanded at an annual rate of around 12 percent over the past decade. In FY 2024-25, the total amount of corporate bonds issued reached ₹53.6 lakh crore, with new bond issuances setting a record of ₹9.9 lakh crore.
This report clearly indicates increasing investor confidence in India, with more people moving swiftly from saving to investing.
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