SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Finance | Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has published the Investor Survey 2025 (PR No. 63/2025) to inform strategies for inclusive and responsible investing. This was one of the largest household surveys of its kind, covering over 90,000 households across 400 cities and 1,000 villages.
The survey’s findings will be used by SEBI to frame strategies aimed at promoting responsible, inclusive, and protected participation in India’s securities markets.
Key Findings:
Low Penetration and Awareness Gap: Only about 10% of Indian households invest in securities, despite 63% being aware of at least one market product. This highlights a significant gap between awareness and active participation.
Urban vs. Rural Divide: Market participation remains heavily skewed towards urban areas, with 15% of urban households investing in securities compared to only 6% of rural households.
Geographical Concentration: Among states, participation is highest in Delhi (20.7%) and Maharashtra (17%), indicating uneven development of the investor base.
Investor Knowledge: Only 36% of current investors possess moderate or high knowledge of securities markets.
Gen Z Paradox: The survey identified the digitally savvy Gen Z cohort (aged 18–28) as “high intention + high knowledge,” yet they displayed a striking level of risk aversion. 79% of Gen Z households preferred capital preservation over chasing higher returns.
Barriers to Participation: The primary obstacles identified were:
Complexity of financial products.
Fear of losses.
Lack of trust.
Limited financial literacy.
Role of Digital Influence: For Gen Z, digital channels are key, with 91% using YouTube for investment discovery, and 56% following financial influencers, whom 93% find credible.
These findings highlight the need for broader financial inclusion, simplified investment access, and better risk education. SEBI can use the results to focus on investor awareness campaigns, interface simplicity, and tailored products to draw low-participation segments into capital markets.
What is SEBI? → The Securities and Exchange Board of India is the regulator of India’s securities market, tasked with protecting investors, developing securities markets, and regulating intermediaries.
Follow the full press release here: SEBI Investor Survey 2025