MUMBAI: In a striking shift in investment habits, Kerala’s presence in the national Stock exchange (NSE) — the country’s largest bourse — has soared to nearly 32 lakh unique investors. this marks a 3.4-fold increase since the Covid era.
As per the latest data, investor registrations from the state have grown ninefold since 2010, with a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% over the past decade. Since 2021 alone, 20.6 lakh new investors have entered the market.
Notably, women are increasingly shaping Kerala’s investment landscape. their participation has risen from 25.3% in 2022 to 28.1% in 2025 well above the national average of 24.7%.
Ernakulam district tops the chart with 1.7 lakh new investors over the past three years, accounting for 12.2% of Kerala’s additions. thrissur (1.6 lakh) and Malappuram (1.5 lakh) follow closely, while thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode have also seen strong growth.
NSE managing director and CeO Ashishkumar Chauhan stressed the exchange’s commitment to safeguarding both investors and companies.
He urged caution for newcomers. “Trade in the market and invest in complex instruments only if you have the time to understand them. Otherwise, opt for mutual funds and let experts manage your investments,” he told TNIE during an interaction organised by the Press Information Bureau, thiruvananthapuram, at NSE headquarters in Mumbai.
NSE chief economist Tirthankar Patnaik highlighted the broader shift in Indian household investments. In 2012-13, 58% of savings were parked in fixed deposits, with just 1.8% in markets. By FY25, fixed deposits dropped to 35%, while market investments climbed to 15%, he said.
“The shift in investment habits is being driven largely by youngsters. they have also managed to convince their parents to allocate a portion of their savings to the stock market in pursuit of better returns,” he said.
He also noted that the median age of new investors has fallen from 31 in 2018 to 28 in 2025. Kerala alone added 4.64 lakh new investors in 2025 — contrary to the national trend of declining registrations.