Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath reported that women now constitute over 30% of the brokerage's accounts, nearly doubling since the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend reflects growing financial independence among women across India, with increasing participation in stock markets and mutual funds.
The surge in female investors signifies a growing trend of financial independence and empowerment among women in India, potentially reshaping investment patterns and driving demand for financial products.
Women's participation in India's stock market and mutual funds has significantly increased, with Zerodha reporting that over 30% of its accounts are now held by women. This marks a near doubling since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the figure stood at approximately 15-17%. Nithin Kamath, CEO of Zerodha, highlighted this trend as one of the most significant changes observed post-pandemic. Across the broader market, women investors constitute about 23% of accounts.
Kamath noted that while some accounts may still be managed by male family members, the rise indicates growing financial control among women from diverse backgrounds. Zerodha actively supports this trend through its women-only financial literacy initiative, 'In Her Interest,' which has seen strong engagement. Despite progress, Kamath acknowledged that India still has a long way to go in improving financial literacy among women.
Supporting this trend, a recent report by Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) revealed that women manage Rs 11.3 lakh crore in mutual fund assets and contributed Rs 3 lakh crore in gross inflows during FY26. The report also indicates that women are increasingly adopting diversified investment strategies and long-term wealth creation approaches, with a growing preference for hybrid and solution-oriented funds. Equity remains dominant, but systematic investment plans (SIPs) are seeing increased adoption, with women accounting for 29% of live SIPs. The data also shows a substantial presence of younger investors, with nearly 75% of women investors below 50, and a notable increase in the under-35 segment.