Gen Z investors lead India's new investing wave
What's the story
India's retail investing landscape is witnessing a major transformation, with an increasing number of young investors from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The trend is especially pronounced among women aged between 18 and 30 years, who are rapidly emerging as a key demographic in the country's investment market. According to Axis Direct, the retail broking arm of Axis Securities, investors aged between 18 and 30 now account for over half (53%) of all new customer additions at Axis Direct in FY26.
Investor growth
Average age of new customers drops to 33 years
The data from Axis Direct shows a massive jump in the participation of young investors.
The 18-24 age group has seen its new customer participation grow nearly sevenfold between FY22 and FY26.
This surge has also brought down the average age of a new Axis Direct customer from 37 years in FY22 to 33 years in FY26.
Geographical shift
Surge in interest from rural investors
The trend of younger investors isn't just limited to major cities anymore.
Axis Direct's data shows that nearly 60% of its young investors come from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, up from 40% in metros.
Rural India is also catching up with the trend, with a whopping 2.5 times growth in young investors from these areas since FY22.
Female participation
Rise in female participation among young investors
Women in the 18-30 age group are also making their presence felt in India's retail investing base.
Their share of total new customer additions has jumped from 6% in FY22 to 13% in FY26.
Within the young investor cohort itself, women's share of new customer additions has increased from 18% to 24%, indicating a steady rise in female participation among this age group.
Investment preferences
Equities remain dominant theme for young investors
Equities continue to be the mainstay of young investors' portfolios, with nearly 95% of them being active in this segment.
Large-cap stocks are the most preferred choice among these investors, attracting nearly 60% of their interest.
Small-caps and mid-caps follow closely behind at 28% and 25%, respectively.
Delivery-based investing remains popular, but active trading is also gaining traction, with almost 30% participating in intraday trading in FY26.