Women investors now manage ₹11.3 trillion in assets under management (AUM) across mutual funds serviced by Computer Age Management Services Limited (CAMS), according to the company's latest report titled 'Going Beyond the Box 2026.' The report showed that women investors contributed ₹3 trillion in gross inflows during FY26, accounting for 35% of total inflows into India's mutual fund industry. This represents a significant shift toward long-term investing and disciplined, systematic strategies among women investors, with the findings highlighting a transition from basic participation to more goal-oriented investment behaviour. The AUM grew by 13% from ₹1 trillion in FY25, outpacing men's 11% growth, demonstrating the scale of women's expanding financial participation in India's investment landscape.
The most striking demographic shift has been the emergence of women under 35 as the largest cohort, with their share rising to 38.6% in March 2026, up sharply from 30% in 2022, according to the latest CAMS study. This represents a dramatic acceleration in mutual fund penetration among younger women, with another 35.8% falling in the 36-50 age bracket, bringing the total share of women investors below 50 years to nearly three-fourths of the total investor base. The report highlighted that nearly 75% of women investors are below the age of 50, with particularly strong growth seen in the under-35 segment, reflecting changing investment patterns among younger demographics and rising financial independence. Older age groups continue to contribute meaningfully, with women in the 51-60 segment accounting for 13.1% and those above 60 representing 12.5% of the base, showing that wealth creation behavior is becoming more balanced across different age groups.
According to Edelweiss AMC CEO Radhika Gupta, the mutual fund industry is witnessing the emergence of 'sorting investors' who are increasingly choosing funds based on past performance. As reported by Moneycontrol, Gupta stated, "I call it the creation of the sorting investor in India." This trend reflects a more sophisticated approach to fund selection, with investors becoming more discerning about performance history and risk-adjusted returns. The behavioral shift is particularly pronounced among younger demographics, with younger investors showing more experimental behavior with passive funds, while older investors prefer hybrid funds that offer more diversification. Equity-oriented funds continue to dominate women's portfolios, while hybrid and solution-oriented schemes are witnessing faster adoption, reflecting a gradual shift toward diversification and goal-based investing trends.
Long-duration and gilt mutual fund schemes are facing significant pressure as 10-year G-Sec yields have risen around 45 basis points since the US-Iran conflict began in February-end, reaching a 2-year high level. The 30-year G-Sec yield is up 36 basis points in the same period and is currently at levels last seen in June 2022. As of May 19, the average one-year return of gilt funds and long-duration funds were -1% and -2.7% respectively, with annualised three-year returns at around 5.5%, the lowest among all debt scheme categories. According to FundsIndia's Jiral Mehta, "Long-duration debt funds have faced pressure as long-term bond yields have remained elevated despite expectations of monetary easing. Unlike short-term debt, long-duration funds are highly sensitive to interest-rate movements, making them vulnerable to sticky inflation, large government borrowing, and global bond-market dynamics."
Despite the challenging environment, experts suggest that long-duration funds may still be suitable for investors with longer investment timeframes (over three years). Joydeep Sen noted that "the spread between the repo rate and the 10-year G-Sec yield is currently far above its long-term average, indicating that bond yields have already priced in many of the expected negatives such as inflation and higher issuances." However, for shorter investment horizons, shorter-duration schemes and hybrid funds are better positioned as they will have less mark-to-market impact if yields continue to rise. Vivek Rajaraman from Waterfield Advisors emphasized that "given the risks, we believe it will still be a volatile period for long-duration bonds. We think the conditions need to be closer to a rate-easing cycle for this to be attractive." Women investors registered 1.05 crore new SIPs in FY'26, representing 24% of the 4.3 crore new SIPs registered by CAMS serviced funds in FY'26, demonstrating their significant contribution to the industry's growth despite current market challenges.
