Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Women Investors Triple Gold ETF Share as Portfolios Diversify
More women in India are investing in mutual funds.
Their total investments grew a lot over the past five years.
Gold funds became especially popular, partly because gold prices performed strongly and investors wanted protection from uncertainty.
Women under 25 put most of their money into equity funds, which can offer growth but may involve more risk.
Women aged 25 to 44 also mainly chose equity funds.
Older women put more money into hybrid and debt funds, which are generally more focused on stability.
This shows that investment choices changed with age and financial goals.
Women still represent a smaller part of the overall investor base, but their participation is increasing.
Women accounted for about 1.61 crore of India’s 6.09 crore mutual fund investors in March 2026.
Gold ETFs made up 16.4% of women’s passive-fund portfolios in March 2026, up from 6.4% a year earlier.
Women’s total mutual-fund assets under management rose to ₹15.88 lakh crore from ₹5.84 lakh crore between March 2021 and March 2026.
Equity funds dominated women’s portfolios, but their share fell from 88.3% among investors below 25 to 51.2% among those above 58.
Older women allocated more to hybrid and debt funds, with investors above 58 putting 29.6% in hybrid funds and 12.0% in debt funds.
- Who
- Women mutual-fund investors in India, alongside retail investors generally.
- What
- Women increased their exposure to gold ETFs and expanded their overall mutual-fund holdings, while investment choices varied by age.
- When
- The data covers March 2021 to March 2026, with comparisons including March 2025 and fiscal year 2026.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- Gold ETFs attracted interest because of strong precious-metal performance, global uncertainty and the desire for hedging and portfolio diversification.
Gold as a Defensive Diversifier
Equity as a Growth-Oriented Choice
Investment purpose
Gold as a Defensive Diversifier
Gold and silver funds were described as hedging tools offering liquidity and diversification amid global uncertainty and precious-metal rallies.
Equity as a Growth-Oriented Choice
Equity funds remained the dominant choice across every women’s age group, particularly among younger investors seeking growth.
Changing allocations with age
Gold as a Defensive Diversifier
Older women increasingly favored hybrid and debt funds, suggesting a move toward more conservative and stable investments.
Equity as a Growth-Oriented Choice
Younger women held much larger equity allocations, with equity accounting for 88.3% of portfolios below age 25 and 76.2% for ages 25 to 44.
- Women investors
- About 1.61 crore out of a total mutual-fund investor base of around 6.09 crore as of March 2026.
- Gold ETF allocation
- 16.4% of women’s passive-fund portfolios in March 2026, compared with 6.4% in March 2025.
- Women’s total AUM
- ₹15.88 lakh crore in March 2026, up from ₹5.84 lakh crore in March 2021.
- Gold ETF inflows
- ₹0.69 lakh crore in fiscal 2026, more than double the combined inflows of about ₹30,213 crore during the previous five financial years.
- Young investors’ equity allocation
- Equity funds represented 88.3% of holdings among women below 25.
- Older investors’ allocation
- Women above 58 allocated 29.6% to hybrid funds and 12.0% to debt funds.
- Average folio holdings
- The industry index, based at 100 in March 2021, rose to 104 in March 2024 before falling to 92 in March 2026.