From crypto bets to SIPs, young India finds its money habit

Like many her age, Srushti I’s first brush with investing was through crypto in 2020 when she was just 15. Back then, the asset class was at the peak of market hype. Her father had introduced her to the idea of investing, but over time she began following market trends and discussing investments with friends and peers.

SIPs eventually entered her portfolio. “It is hard to save money, so it is better to invest it,” she says. Today, the 21-year-old content writer and strategist in Bengaluru invests about 10% of her income. Unlike the stereotype of young investors constantly tracking the market, Srushti rarely checks her portfolio. “It stresses me out,” she says. “I just let it be there for the long term.”

Srushti’s move into SIPs is part of a broader shift. For a generation exposed early to crypto, trading and financial content on social media, SIPs are emerging as a more disciplined investing avenue.

The trend of investing earlier is visible in data from mutual fund registrar and transfer agent CAMS. The live

count among investors under 20 years nearly doubled in FY26, rising 92% year-on-year to 2.9 lakh, while that of 20-30-year-olds grew 15% to 85.5 lakh. SIP gross sales of these age groups rose 19% and 36%, respectively. The surge of under-20s is on a small base.