So SEBI released this massive survey covering 90,000+ households across India - both cities and villages. The findings are honestly pretty interesting.
The biggest takeaway? We have a massive awareness-action gap.
Get this - 63% of Indian households (that’s 213 million!) know about mutual funds, stocks, F&O, bonds, etc. But only 9.5% actually invest. That’s just 32 million households. Urban folks are ahead at 15% vs rural at 6%. Delhi leads at 20.7%, Gujarat at 15.4%.
Indians really, REALLY love playing it safe
Almost 80% of households prefer keeping their money safe over chasing higher returns. And here’s what surprised me - even Gen-Z is 79% risk-averse. So much for the “young people take more risks” theory.
Why aren’t people investing?
The usual stuff - it feels too complex, lack of knowledge, trust issues, fear of losing money. People who want to invest (but haven’t yet) are asking for simpler apps, easier processes, real success stories they can relate to, and lower amounts to get started.
The knowledge problem is real
Only 36% of actual investors have decent knowledge about markets. And people across the board want financial education in their regional languages, not just English. Gen-Z wants short videos and reels, older folks prefer articles and workshops.
But here’s the opportunity
22% of people who know about investing plan to start within the next year. That’s potentially huge if we can fix the trust, simplify things, and teach people in languages they’re comfortable with.
Pretty clear that there’s massive potential sitting on the sidelines. Just need to make it less intimidating and more accessible.
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