New Delhi, March 16: Despite fluctuations in the stock market, retail investor participation in mutual funds continues to rise. A report released on Monday indicates that investments through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) increased by approximately 14.79% in February 2026 compared to the same month last year.
According to ICRA Analytics, SIP investments reached ₹29,845 crores in February 2026, up from ₹25,999 crores a year earlier. However, there was a slight month-on-month decline of 3.73% compared to January 2026, which recorded ₹31,002 crores.
The report highlights that the number of accounts regularly investing through SIPs has grown to 9.44 crores, up from 8.26 crores a year ago. Additionally, the total number of active SIP accounts rose to 10.45 crores, compared to 10.17 crores previously.
Assets under management (AUM) for SIP schemes stood at approximately ₹16.64 lakh crores, accounting for about 20.29% of the total AUM in the mutual fund industry.
The report attributes the slight decline to market volatility rather than a decrease in investor interest. It emphasizes that retail investors’ interest in mutual funds in India is rapidly increasing, driven by economic and behavioral changes over recent years.
Multiple industry reports and regulatory data indicate that mutual funds, particularly equity-based schemes and SIPs, are becoming the preferred choice for long-term investments among investors.
Earlier data from AMFI showed that SIP investments in January 2026 rose by 17% year-on-year, reaching nearly ₹31,000 crores, compared to ₹26,400 crores in January 2025.
In February, the mutual fund industry recorded a net investment of ₹94,530 crores, reflecting strong investor interest in equity funds, debt schemes, and passive products.
By the end of February, the total AUM of the mutual fund industry was approximately ₹82.03 lakh crores, with an average AUM of around ₹83.43 lakh crores for the month.
Investor participation in equity-based schemes remained robust, with a net investment of ₹25,978 crores in February. The flexi-cap fund category attracted the highest investment of ₹6,924.65 crores, followed by mid-cap funds at ₹4,003 crores and small-cap funds at ₹3,881 crores.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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