 "Only 11% women investors have portfolio size upwards of Rs 5 lakh: survey")
The average portfolio size of a female investor is Rs 55,454, which is higher than the national average for Indian equity investors. While the majority of women (68%) have portfolios under Rs 1 lakh, a significant portion (21%) falls within the Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh range, and a promising 11% boast portfolios exceeding Rs 5 lakh, according to new data from online brokerage platform FYERS.
South and Maharashtra account for almost half of all women traders
Maharashtra leads the way as the home state for 22.38% of female traders on the platform. Other South Indian states like Andhra Pradesh (10.68%), Karnataka (7.65%), Kerala (5.78%), and Tamil Nadu contribute significantly as well.
Dominance of the South: : 25% of all female traders come from the South with women from Andhra leading the charge followed by those from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. While cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai are obvious hubs for trading activity, emerging Tier 2 cities from where women are trading in the region include Vishakhapatnam, Mysore, Thrissur and Guntur.
Dominance of the South: : 25% of all female traders come from the South with women from Andhra leading the charge followed by those from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. While cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai are obvious hubs for trading activity, emerging Tier 2 cities from where women are trading in the region include Vishakhapatnam, Mysore, Thrissur and Guntur.
Interestingly, the top five cities where these women traders are based are all major financial and IT hubs – Mumbai (4.16%), Bengaluru (4.19%), Pune (3.93%), Thane (2.66%), and Hyderabad (2.62%).
While metros dominate the landscape, Tier 2 cities like Nagpur (1.87%), Visakhapatnam (1.12%), Surat (1.05%), and Guntur (1.00%) are also witnessing a rise in female participation, indicating a potential future shift towards broader geographical diversity.
The data dispels the myth of trading being dominated by young college students. In fact, women traders on the FYERS platform are primarily between 26 and 55 years old, with 58% falling within this age group. This suggests a focus on financial independence, as many of these women are likely working professionals in urban centers.
A comparison with male traders reveals a lower participation rate (8.5% vs. 21%) in the 18-25 age group for women. Conversely, women between 41 and 55 (24%) make up a larger portion compared to men (16.5%) in the same category. This trend highlights the presence of seasoned female investors seeking to manage their finances.
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The report also showcases a steady growth rate of 5% per month in the number of women investors on the platform. Notably, equity investments see the highest growth at 9.5% month-on-month, followed by derivatives and MCX at 5.60% and 5.07% respectively. This data suggests a growing appetite for diverse investment options among female investors.
In terms of average daily trading volume, women punch above their weight, driving 20% of the daily trading volumes at Rs. 29,351 crore in notional turnover, while making just 15% of the userbase, noted FYERS.
The average portfolio size of a female investor on FYERS is around Rs 55,454. This is higher than the average portfolio size of Indian equity investors where around half of the demat account holders are said to have a portfolio of less than Rs. 10,000. The majority (68%) have their portfolio sizes within the Rs 0-1 lakh range, followed by 21% in the Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh range and 11% above Rs 5 lakh.