Mumbai: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a ten-fold surge in its investor base on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) over the past decade, PTI reported. The data reflects on rising financial literacy and growing confidence in formal financial systems.
NSE data shows that the number of registered investors in the Union Territory increased from 65,000 in 2015 to 6.51 lakh in 2025, the news agency reported. In comparison, the national investor base grew 6.2 times during the same period—from 1.79 crore to 11.28 crore.
NSE Managing Director and CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan said the growing participation from Jammu and Kashmir highlights deepening financial inclusion and strengthening trust in India’s capital markets.
He urged investors to focus on informed, long-term investments instead of speculation. “When you invest in the stock market, you become an entrepreneur and a part of business growth,” Chauhan said, cautioning against cryptocurrencies that “lack intrinsic value.”
NSE officials noted that the investor base in J&K rose steadily from 40,000 in 2010 to 70,000 in 2016, crossed one lakh in 2019, and surged to 6.5 lakh in 2025. It is projected to reach 7.1 lakh by FY26.
The expansion, officials said, is driven by improved internet access, greater financial awareness, and youth participation. “The trend appears to be largely youth-driven,” said NSE Chief Economist Tirthankar Patnaik.
New investor registrations have also climbed—from 7,500 in May 2025 to over 10,000 in July. J&K’s compound annual growth rate stands at 25.5%, significantly higher than the national average of 19.8%, contributing around 10,000 new investors every month.
Women investors account for 25% of J&K’s investor base—well above the national average of 16.3%.
Among states, Maharashtra leads with 1.9 crore registered investors, followed by Uttar Pradesh (1.4 crore), Gujarat (1 crore), West Bengal (70 lakh), and Rajasthan (68 lakh). Together, these five states make up nearly half of India’s total investor base.
Investor participation now spans nearly the entire country, with only 28 PIN codes reporting no registered investors.
The NSE, established in 1994, ranks among the world’s top four stock exchanges and has been the largest derivatives exchange globally since 2019, handling 82% of all global exchange trades last year, according to official data.
