J&K Sees Ten-Fold Rise in Investor Base on NSE in Last Decade

Mumbai, Oct 14: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a ten-fold increase in its investor base on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) over the past decade, reflecting a surge in financial awareness and confidence in formal investment avenues.

As per NSE data, the investor base in Jammu and Kashmir rose from 65,000 in 2015 to 6.51 lakh in 2025, marking a ten-fold jump. In comparison, the national investor base expanded from 1.79 crore in 2015 to 11.28 crore in 2025 — a 6.2-fold increase.

NSE Managing Director and CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan said the growth in participation from Jammu and Kashmir highlights deepening financial inclusion and greater public trust in capital markets. He advised investors to make informed, long-term investments instead of engaging in speculation.

“When you invest in the stock market, you are essentially becoming an entrepreneur and contributing to the growth of businesses,” Chauhan said, cautioning against investing in cryptocurrencies due to their lack of intrinsic value.

An NSE official noted that Jammu and Kashmir’s investor base grew from 40,000 in 2010 to 70,000 in 2016 and crossed the one-lakh mark in 2019. The number surged to 6.5 lakh in 2025 and is projected to reach 7.1 lakh by the 2026 financial year.

“This expansion has been driven by better internet connectivity, rising financial awareness, and increasing youth participation,” said Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist at NSE.

The data also shows consistent monthly growth, with new investors rising from 7,500 in May 2025 to over 10,000 in July. Jammu and Kashmir has registered a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 25.5 per cent, surpassing the national average of 19.8 per cent.

Women have played a key role in this transformation, accounting for 25 per cent of J&K’s investor base — higher than the national average of 16.3 per cent.

Nationwide, Maharashtra leads with 1.9 crore registered investors, followed by Uttar Pradesh (1.4 crore), Gujarat (1 crore), West Bengal (70 lakh), and Rajasthan (68 lakh). These five states make up nearly half of India’s total investor base.

NSE, established in 1994, remains one of the world’s top stock exchanges and has been the global leader in derivatives trading since 2019, handling 82 per cent of all global exchange trades last year.