New generation of investors transforming India's wealth ecosystem, says report

Mumbai, Sep 29 (PTI) Driven by young professionals, women wealth creators, entrepreneurs, ESOP beneficiaries, and digitally active consumers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, a new generation of investors is transforming India’s wealth ecosystem, a report said on Tuesday.

“This is already visible in the data,” said EY India’s report ‘Wealth Inclusion in India: Expanding Investor Participation Beyond Metro India’.

The share of NSE-registered investors under 30 years old increased to 38 per cent in June 2026 from 23 per cent in FY19.

In B30 cities, women investors accounted for 25 per cent of investors in FY24, up from 20 per cent in FY19, it added.

“These investors have different expectations. They are more digitally native, more self-directed and more comfortable

engaging through technology,” the report said.

At the same time, they continue to seek trust, validation and guidance when making significant financial decisions.

“A cultural shift toward disciplined investing is also underway,’ it said, and added SIPs now account for 35 per cent of total individual mutual fund AUM, up from 19 per cent in FY19, reflecting the increasing salience of sustained, recurring and goal-oriented investing behaviour.

Entry barriers are also reducing, with micro-SIPs of approximately USD 2.613 helping bring first-time, underserved and rural investors into the investment fold.

“Distribution expansion is reinforcing this shift, with tie-ups across more than 250,000 rural touchpoints and rising digital platform adoption helping bridge trust and access gaps,” the EY report said.

It also said that the first phase of India’s financial transformation focused on access and the next must focus on outcomes.

Noting that Digital Public Infrastructure has already transformed the economics of financial inclusion, it said Aadhaar has simplified identity verification, UPI has democratized payments and Account Aggregator has laid the foundation for secure data sharing.

Commenting on the report, Pratik Shah, National Financial Services Leader, EY India said India’s first financial revolution was about connecting citizens to the financial system. The next one will be about connecting households to wealth creation.

“While the country has made remarkable progress in expanding access through digital public infrastructure, the ambition now is helping millions of Indians participate confidently in long-term investing. The next wave of growth will come from smaller cities, women investors, young professionals and emerging affluent households, many of whom need guidance as much as they need access,” he said.

Vishal Madia, Partner, Wealth and Asset Management, EY India said by combining DPI, consented data sharing, AI-driven intelligence and scalable advice, India can create a Wealth Stack that democratizes investing, strengthens financial capability and enables millions of households to participate meaningfully in long-term wealth creation.”

According to the report, more than 100 million Indians could enter long-term investing by 2035, driven by rising participation from smaller cities, young investors, women and digitally connected households. PTI NKD MR