Mumbai, June 22 -- The number of Indians investing in stocks is rising, even as the number of active traders is declining.

In May 2026, National Stock Exchange's registered investor base crossed 131 million, having added its latest 10 million investors in just seven months.

But only 1 in 10 investors actively trades in both cash equities and derivatives, reflecting growing caution amid market volatility, weak initial public offering activity and tighter rules in the futures and options segment.

"Unique investors have crossed 13 crore (130 million), highlighting strong growth beyond major cities due to digitalization and simpler KYC (know-your-customer) processes," said Roop Bhootra, whole-time director at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock B...