NSE crosses 12 crore investors, women are good for one in four

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India said on Thursday that the registered investor base crossed 12 Crore on 23 September, which marked a milestone in the rapid expansion of retail participation by the country. Women now form one in four investors at the stock exchange.

The total number of investor accounts, measured by unique customer codes, was 23.5 crore. NSE’s Investor Roll has been accelerated in recent years: although it took 14 years the exchange to add his first crore of investors and more than 25 years to reach 4 crore in March 2021, the last 1 crore were added in just about eight months, after the basic 11 crore overtopled in January.

“This year we have crossed an important benchmark in terms of our investor base,” said Sriram Krishnan, Chief Business Development Officer at NSE. “After crossing the 11-Crore-Mark in January, it is commendable that the investors have increased with an extra crore on board the investors on board the investors, despite persistent concerns about global trade and geopolitics.”

Krishnan attributed the growth to “a streamlined knowledge of your customer (KYC), improved financial literacy through stakeholders led by stakeholders and lasted a positive market sentiment.” He said that participation has been broadened about shares, listed funds, real estate investment trusts, infrastructure investment confidence, government bonds and corporate bonds.

Younger investors, wider reach

The exchange reported that the median age of the India’s investors fell to 33 years of 38 five years ago, with almost 40% of the basics now below 30. Investor participation comprises 99.85% of the country’s pin codes. Maharashtra leads with 1.9 crore investors, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 1.4 Crore and Gujarat with 1.03 crore.

Markets support the Golf

The expansion coincided with floating stock markets. In the current tax year so far, the Nifty has returned 50 7%, while the Nifty 500 has risen by 9.3%. For five years, the indices have yielded an annual return of 17.7% and 20.5%, so that the global benchmarks are surpassed. Market capitalization of NSE-GE-GENTED companies grew with an annual rate of 25.1% during that period, with a crore of RS 460 LAKH. Individual investors – directly and through investment funds – now hold 18.5% of the listed business ticket from 30 June.

SIP streams and awareness of investors rise

Indirect participation also climbs. Almost 2.9 Crore New Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) accounts were opened between April and August 2025, with an average monthly influx of RS 27,464 Crore, compared to RS 21,883 Crore a year earlier.

NSE said his investor education programs in five years have quadrupled to 14,679 in FY25 and reached more than 8 Lakh participants. The investment protection fund grew by 21% on an annual basis to RS 2,644 Crore from August.

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