The investor base on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has crossed the landmark 13 crore (130 million) unique investors as of April 27, 2026, reflecting the rapid expansion and deepening of India’s capital markets. NSE, India’s largest stock exchange by turnover, continues to play a pivotal role in driving financial inclusion and investor participation across the country.
The total number of client accounts registered with the Exchange has reached 25.7 crore, highlighting growing investor engagement across segments. Over the past five years (FY21–FY26), the investor base has expanded at a robust CAGR of 26.4%, significantly higher than the 15.2% growth recorded in the previous five-year period. This acceleration has been supported by increased digital access, simplified onboarding processes, and sustained investor awareness initiatives.
A key highlight of this growth story is the rising participation from the North Eastern region, which has emerged as one of the fastest-growing markets for investor inclusion. States such as Mizoram (8.7x), Arunachal Pradesh (7.9x), and Assam (6.9x) have recorded multi-fold growth in investor base since FY21, reflecting the expanding reach of capital markets into Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 cities.
Assam alone now accounts for approximately 51.5 lakh (5.15 million) registered investors, underscoring the state’s growing contribution to India’s evolving retail investor landscape. This surge highlights increasing financial awareness, improved digital access, and the success of investor education initiatives in bringing first-time participants into the formal capital market ecosystem.
The broad-based nature of this growth is evident, with states beyond the top 10 contributing 27% of the total investor base, signalling a clear shift towards emerging regions such as the North East. The region continues to stand out, led by strong multi-fold growth across states like Mizoram (8.7x), Arunachal Pradesh (7.9x), and Assam (6.9x). The investor profile is also evolving, with a median age of 33 years, nearly 40% below 30, and one in four investors being women, reflecting deeper and more inclusive participation.
India’s capital markets continue to deliver steady value, with benchmark indices generating annualised returns of 10.8% (Nifty 50) and 13.3% (Nifty 500) over the past five years. The market capitalisation of NSE-listed companies has grown at a CAGR of 18%, reaching ₹460.6 lakh crore, contributing significantly to household wealth creation.
With investor presence now spanning 99.85% of India’s pin codes, the democratisation of capital markets is clearly underway. The strong and sustained momentum in the North East underscores its emergence as a key growth frontier, reflecting rising financial awareness, improved access, and increasing participation from first-time investors across the region.
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), established in 1994, is India’s largest stock exchange by trading volume and a global leader in derivatives trading.
