80% women investors start mutual fund journey before 35, SIPs fuel early participation : Study

Almost 80% of women mutual fund investors start investing before the age of 35, led by SIP adoption among younger women, according to a new study by The Wealth Company Mutual Fund titled “Her Wealth, Her Way: A Study on How Women Save & Invest.”

The report is based on a survey of over 2,000 women across metros and emerging cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Ranchi, Bhopal, Guwahati and Mysore.

Also Read | Gold, silver ETFs fall up to 13% since Mideast war. Should investors stay invested or cut exposure?


The findings highlight a generational shift in financial behaviour. Half of all women SIP investors are under the age of 30, reflecting growing financial independence and digital access among younger women.

Mutual funds have emerged as one of the top three investment avenues for women across age groups, driven by their accessibility and suitability for long-term investing. However, behavioural barriers remain, with many women still relying on family members for investment advice and allocating only a small share of income to market-linked investments.

The report notes that as more women participate in household financial decision-making, they are likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping India’s investment landscape.

Once women enter mutual funds, they tend to stay invested, with 86% planning to increase allocations over the next five years. According to the report, women who already invest in mutual funds are four times more likely to trust them than non-investors, proving experience builds conviction.

82% of women mutual fund investors actively participate in household financial decision making and nearly 57% of women are willing to stay invested in equities for the long term if products are clearly explained.

SIPs are the preferred entry route for 64% of women mutual fund investors, particularly among lower income groups and around 43% of existing women mutual fund investors report facing no hurdles in continuing their investment journey.

Also Read | Nippon India ETF Gold BeES ranks 6th globally in gold ETF inflows, draws $1.08 bn inflows

Nearly 70% of Indian women actively save each month, but only about 40% invest beyond traditional instruments such as fixed deposits, gold among others, highlighting a significant gap between saving and long-term wealth creation.

Participation from smaller cities is also rising sharply, with women investors from non-metro regions growing over 2.5 times year-on-year, signaling broader financial inclusion beyond large urban centres and Tier 4 cities seeing a 140% surge.

“Indian women have always been disciplined savers. The real shift we are beginning to see is their transition from saving to structured investing,” said Madhu Lunawat, Managing Director and CEO, The Wealth Company Mutual Fund.

“As financial awareness improves and access to simple investment products increases, women across both metros and emerging cities are likely to become one of the most powerful drivers of long-term wealth creation in India,” Lunawat further said.

The report also highlights that confidence remains the biggest hurdle, with 74% of non-investing women allocating less than 10% of their income to financial products.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@timesinternet.in alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.