Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 13 (ANI): The investors' accounts registered at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) have crossed a major milestone, with total unique trading accounts, or client codes (UCCs), surpassing 25 crore (250 million) in February 2026, the exchange said in an official statement.

Notably, the most recent one crore accounts were added in just two months, highlighting the accelerating pace of participation in the capital markets. The last five crore accounts, representing 20 per cent of the total, have been added in the past 16 months alone.

NSE stated that as of January 31, 2026, the number of unique registered investors stood at 12.7 crore, having crossed the 12-crore mark on September 22, 2025. Since investors may maintain accounts with multiple brokers, the total number of trading accounts exceeds the count of unique registered investors.

State-wise, Maharashtra continues to lead with 4.2 crore accounts, accounting for nearly 17 per cent of the total. Uttar Pradesh follows with 2.8 crore accounts (11.3 per cent share), Gujarat with around 2.2 crore (8.7 per cent), and West Bengal and Rajasthan with 1.4 crore accounts each (5.8 per cent share each).

The top five states together account for nearly 49 per cent of all investor accounts, while the top 10 states contribute over 73 per cent.

The exchange attributed the sharp expansion of the investor base to rapid digitization, the fintech revolution, the emergence of low-cost trading platforms, a growing middle class, and rising investor confidence.

Over the five-year period ending February 11, 2026, the Nifty 50 and Nifty 500 delivered annualised returns of 11.3 per cent and 13.7 per cent, respectively, strengthening household participation in equities as an asset class.

Indirect participation has also gained momentum. Between April 2025 and January 2026, nearly 6 crore new SIP accounts were opened. The average monthly SIP inflows during this period stood at Rs 28,766 crore, up from Rs 23,743 crore in the corresponding period last year.

As of December 31, 2025, individual investors--both direct participants and those investing through mutual funds--held 18.6 per cent of the market capitalisation of NSE-listed companies, up from 14.6 per cent five years ago. The exchange said this steady rise in ownership, combined with robust market performance, has resulted in significant wealth accretion for Indian households.

NSE has also stepped up investor awareness initiatives. The number of Investor Awareness Programs (IAPs) conducted by NSE more than doubled to 22,931 in 2025, covering nearly 12 lakh participants. The NSE's Investor Protection Fund (IPF) grew by 18.5 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2,791 crore as of December 31, 2025.

Sriram Krishnan, Chief Business Development Officer, NSE, said, 'Crossing 25 crore trading accounts marks an important milestone in the evolution of India's capital markets. The speed at which the most recent accounts have been added reflects growing confidence among households and a broader acceptance of equities as a long-term savings avenue.'

He added that participation is expanding in scale, geographic reach, and demographic diversity, with investors accessing multiple asset classes including equities, debt instruments, ETFs, REITs, InvITs, government securities, and corporate bonds.

'Strengthening investor awareness, promoting disciplined investing through systematic routes, and reinforcing market safeguards remain central to ensuring that this momentum translates into sustainable wealth creation,' he said, adding that the focus will remain on building resilient, transparent and inclusive markets to support India's long-term growth aspirations. (ANI)