India’s mutual fund SIP culture continued to deepen in FY2025-26, with more than 2.3 crore mutual fund folios recording monthly SIP contributions of ₹3,000 or more, according to data cited from SEBI’s annual report.
The numbers underline how systematic investment plans have moved beyond being a niche investment product and become an increasingly important part of household financial planning.
During FY2025-26, India’s total number of SIP accounts increased 3.9% to 10.45 crore, from 10.05 crore a year earlier. At the same time, average net monthly SIP contributions increased 25.8% to ₹16,413 crore, from ₹13,052 crore in FY2024-25.
The growth is particularly notable because investors continued their SIPs despite periods of equity-market volatility.
More than 2.3 crore folios invest ₹3,000 or more through SIPs
Data for FY2025-26 shows that more than 2.3 crore mutual fund folios had monthly SIP contributions of at least ₹3,000.
The distribution of SIP contributions shows that a large number of investors remain concentrated in relatively smaller monthly amounts.
| Monthly SIP contribution | Number of folios |
|---|---|
| ₹501–₹1,000 | 3.05 crore |
| ₹1,001–₹3,000 | 3.35 crore |
| ₹3,001–₹5,000 | 1.44 crore |
| ₹5,001–₹10,000 | 61.7 lakh |
| ₹10,001 and above | More than 29 lakh |
This distribution shows that SIP investing is not limited to high-income households.
FY25-26 SIP FOLIO DISTRIBUTION
₹501–₹1,000
3.05 crore
↓
₹1,001–₹3,000
3.35 crore
↓
₹3,001–₹5,000
1.44 crore
↓
₹5,001–₹10,000
61.7 lakh
↓
₹10,001+
29+ lakh
SIP accounts cross 10 crore
The total number of SIP accounts increased from 10.05 crore to 10.45 crore during FY2025-26.
That represents a 3.9% increase in one year.
SEBI’s annual report also showed substantial churn within the SIP ecosystem: around 7.2 crore new SIPs were registered, while approximately 6.8 crore were discontinued or reached maturity during the year.
FY2025-26
New SIPs
7.2 crore
+
Existing SIPs
-
Discontinued / matured
6.8 crore
↓
Total SIP accounts
10.45 crore
The relatively small increase in total accounts despite millions of new registrations demonstrates how dynamic the SIP market has become.
Average monthly SIP contribution rises 25.8%
One of the strongest signals from the data is the increase in the amount investors are contributing.
Average net monthly SIP contributions rose from:
₹13,052 crore in FY2024-25
to
₹16,413 crore in FY2025-26.
That represents a 25.8% increase.
AVERAGE NET MONTHLY SIP INFLOW
FY2024-25
₹13,052 crore
↓
FY2025-26
₹16,413 crore
↓
+25.8%
The growth in contribution value was therefore considerably faster than the growth in the number of SIP accounts.
This suggests that existing investors may also be increasing their monthly investments.
What ₹3,000 a month can become in 15 years
The Upstox analysis used SIP calculations to illustrate how regular monthly investments can potentially compound over a 15-year period.
At an assumed 10% annual return, a ₹3,000 monthly SIP could grow to around ₹12.5 lakh after 15 years.
At a hypothetical 12% annual return, the same SIP could grow to around ₹15.1 lakh.
| Monthly SIP | 15 years at 10% | 15 years at 12% |
|---|---|---|
| ₹3,000 | ₹12.5 lakh | ₹15.1 lakh |
| ₹5,000 | ₹20.9 lakh | ₹25.2 lakh |
| ₹7,500 | ₹31.3 lakh | ₹37.8 lakh |
| ₹10,000 | ₹41.8 lakh | ₹50.5 lakh |
| ₹12,500 | ₹52.2 lakh | ₹63 lakh |
| ₹15,000 | ₹62.7 lakh | ₹75.7 lakh |
| ₹17,500 | ₹73.1 lakh | ₹88.3 lakh |
| ₹20,000 | ₹83.6 lakh | ₹1 crore |
These are illustrations based on assumed annual returns, not guaranteed investment outcomes.
The power of increasing the SIP amount
The calculations demonstrate an important principle of long-term investing: the monthly contribution can have a substantial impact on the eventual corpus.
For example, moving from a ₹3,000 SIP to a ₹10,000 SIP changes the potential 15-year corpus dramatically.
At a hypothetical 12% return:
₹3,000 SIP
↓
₹15.1 lakh
₹5,000 SIP
↓
₹25.2 lakh
₹10,000 SIP
↓
₹50.5 lakh
₹20,000 SIP
↓
₹1 crore
The difference is not simply because the investor puts in more money. Compounding also applies to the additional investments over time.
How compounding works in a SIP
A SIP involves investing a fixed amount at regular intervals.
Over time, earlier investments have more time to grow, while later contributions have less time.
YEAR 1
Investment
↓
Growth
↓
Growth on growth
YEAR 5
More investment
↓
Larger corpus
↓
More potential growth
YEAR 15
Large accumulated corpus
↓
Compounding becomes increasingly important
This is why investors often describe long-term investing as allowing time to do the heavy lifting.
However, equity mutual fund returns are market-linked and can fluctuate substantially.
₹20,000 SIP can potentially reach ₹1 crore
The Upstox calculation shows that a monthly SIP of ₹20,000 for 15 years, assuming a 12% annual return, could result in a corpus of approximately ₹1 crore.
At a hypothetical 10% return, the same investment could accumulate around ₹83.6 lakh.
₹20,000 MONTHLY SIP
15 years
↓
Total contributions
₹36 lakh
↓
Potential corpus
₹83.6 lakh @ 10%
or
₹1 crore @ 12%
The investor would contribute ₹36 lakh over 15 years, while the remainder of the corpus in the illustration comes from investment growth.
This is the core effect of compounding.
A ₹3,000 SIP can also become meaningful
The most important message for smaller investors is that they do not necessarily need to start with a very large amount.
A ₹3,000 monthly SIP amounts to:
₹36,000 per year
and
₹5.4 lakh over 15 years, before considering investment returns.
At the assumed returns used by Upstox, the potential corpus becomes significantly larger because the investments compound over time.
₹3,000/month
₹36,000/year
↓
₹5.4 lakh invested over 15 years
↓
₹12.5 lakh @ 10%
or
₹15.1 lakh @ 12%
Again, these return assumptions are illustrative rather than guaranteed.
SIP contributions have crossed ₹30,000 crore a month
The broader mutual fund industry data also shows how large SIP investing has become.
AMFI reported monthly SIP contributions of ₹31,781 crore in June 2026.
In May 2026, SIP contributions stood at ₹30,954 crore, with 9.64 crore contributing SIP accounts.
SIP MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS
May 2026
₹30,954 crore
↓
June 2026
₹31,781 crore
This indicates that the SIP ecosystem has remained above the ₹30,000-crore monthly contribution level.
SIP assets have also grown
AMFI’s March 2026 data showed SIP-linked assets at ₹15.11 lakh crore, representing about 20.5% of total mutual fund assets at that time.
By May 2026, SIP assets had increased to ₹17.12 lakh crore, representing about 21% of the industry’s AUM.
SIP ASSETS
March 2026
₹15.11 lakh crore
↓
May 2026
₹17.12 lakh crore
The growth reflects both ongoing contributions and changes in the market value of the underlying investments.
India’s mutual fund industry is expanding rapidly
The rise in SIP participation is part of a much larger expansion of India’s mutual fund industry.
AMFI data shows that the industry’s total AUM stood at ₹82.22 lakh crore on June 30, 2026.
That compares with just ₹13.81 lakh crore in June 2016, meaning the industry’s AUM has increased roughly sixfold over 10 years.
MUTUAL FUND AUM
June 2016
₹13.81 lakh crore
↓
June 2021
₹33.67 lakh crore
↓
June 2026
₹82.22 lakh crore
↓
~6X in 10 years
The growth shows the increasing financialisation of Indian household savings.
Mutual fund folios have also surged
The number of mutual fund folios has expanded sharply.
AMFI reported 27.86 crore total mutual fund folios as of June 30, 2026, including about 21.23 crore folios in equity, hybrid and solution-oriented schemes where retail investors account for the majority of investment.
The number of investor folios has increased from 10.26 crore in June 2020 to 27.86 crore in June 2026.
INVESTOR FOLIOS
June 2020
10.26 crore
↓
June 2026
27.86 crore
↓
More than 2.5X
This growth highlights the rapid expansion of India’s retail investment base.
Why SIPs are becoming popular
SIPs offer several practical advantages to retail investors.
Regular investing
Investors do not need to invest a large amount at once.
Discipline
Automatic monthly contributions can make investing a habit.
Long investment horizon
Investors can potentially benefit from compounding over many years.
Reduced dependence on market timing
Investing regularly means purchases happen across different market conditions.
Accessibility
SIPs can start with relatively small amounts.
AMFI notes that SIPs can be started with amounts as low as ₹500 per month, and Chhoti SIPs can go as low as ₹250 in eligible cases.
SMALL START
₹500/month
↓
Regular investment
↓
Long horizon
↓
Compounding
↓
Potentially meaningful corpus
SIPs don’t guarantee returns
One important point often lost in discussions about SIP calculators is that 10% or 12% annual returns are assumptions, not promises.
Equity mutual funds are market-linked investments.
Actual returns can be:
- Higher than assumed
- Lower than assumed
- Negative over certain periods
- Highly volatile during market downturns
MARKET RETURNS
Year 1
+15%
Year 2
-8%
Year 3
+20%
Year 4
-5%
Year 5
+12%
The final outcome depends on the actual performance of the chosen fund and the timing of investments.
Why a 15-year horizon matters
A 15-year investment period gives investors substantially more time to experience different market cycles.
A shorter investment period can expose investors to the risk of entering or exiting during an unfavourable market phase.
SHORT HORIZON
3 years
↓
Greater market-timing risk
MEDIUM HORIZON
7 years
↓
More cycles
LONG HORIZON
15+ years
↓
More time for compounding
This does not eliminate risk, but it can make long-term equity investing more suitable for certain financial goals.
Investors should match SIPs to their goals
The right SIP amount depends on the investor’s financial situation and objective.
For example:
| Goal | Possible horizon | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency fund | Short | Liquidity and safety |
| Car purchase | 3–5 years | Capital preservation |
| Home down payment | 5–10 years | Goal-specific allocation |
| Child’s education | 10+ years | Long-term growth |
| Retirement | 15–30+ years | Long-term compounding |
A SIP should therefore not be selected simply because a calculator shows a large future corpus.
The investment should match the time horizon and risk capacity.
Increasing SIPs over time can accelerate wealth creation
Investors whose income rises over time can consider increasing their SIP contribution periodically.
This is sometimes called a step-up SIP.
For example:
YEAR 1
₹5,000/month
YEAR 2
₹5,500/month
YEAR 3
₹6,000/month
YEAR 4
₹6,500/month
...
As income increases, the investor allocates more toward long-term investments.
This can potentially create a significantly larger corpus than maintaining the same SIP amount indefinitely.
Income growth can support higher SIPs
A young investor may begin with a relatively small monthly contribution.
As salary or business income increases, the SIP can be increased.
START
₹3,000
Income increases
↓
₹5,000
Further growth
↓
₹10,000
Long-term career growth
↓
₹15,000+
The ability to increase contributions can be more important than trying to begin with an unrealistically large SIP.
The ₹3,000 threshold is significant
The fact that more than 2.3 crore folios had SIP flows of at least ₹3,000 shows that a substantial part of the Indian investor base is already contributing above what might be considered a basic entry-level SIP.
At the same time, millions of investors remain in lower contribution brackets.
This creates room for future growth if incomes rise and investors increase their monthly allocations.
TODAY
Small SIP
↓
₹3,000+
↓
₹5,000+
↓
₹10,000+
↓
Higher future corpus
The gradual increase in SIP size can become an important driver of future mutual fund AUM.
SIP growth is changing household savings
India’s traditional household savings have historically been concentrated in products such as bank deposits, gold and physical assets.
The growth of mutual funds indicates that more savings are moving into financial-market instruments.
TRADITIONAL SAVINGS
Bank deposits
Gold
Real estate
↓
FINANCIALISATION
↓
Mutual funds
Equities
Bonds
ETFs
The trend could continue as digital investment platforms make mutual funds easier to access.
Digital platforms are helping SIP adoption
The growth of online investment platforms has reduced some of the barriers that historically made mutual fund investing difficult for first-time investors.
Investors can now:
- Complete KYC digitally
- Select funds online
- Start SIPs through apps
- Automate monthly payments
- Track investments
- Increase contributions
SMARTPHONE
↓
Investment app
↓
KYC
↓
Fund selection
↓
SIP mandate
↓
Automatic investment
This has helped make systematic investing more accessible.
SIPs can reduce the need for market timing
Trying to identify the perfect time to invest is difficult even for experienced investors.
A SIP spreads purchases over multiple market conditions.
MONTH 1
Market high
↓
SIP investment
MONTH 2
Market correction
↓
SIP investment
MONTH 3
Market recovery
↓
SIP investment
When prices fall, the same SIP amount can buy more units; when prices rise, it buys fewer.
This is commonly described as rupee-cost averaging.
However, rupee-cost averaging does not guarantee profits or protect against losses.
The role of discipline
One of the biggest advantages of a SIP is behavioural rather than mathematical.
It creates a recurring investment habit.
INCOME
↓
SIP automatically deducted
↓
Money invested
↓
Remaining income spent
For many investors, automating investments can be easier than trying to decide every month whether to invest.
Why investors discontinue SIPs
The SEBI data showing 6.8 crore SIPs discontinued or matured also highlights an important challenge.
Investors may stop SIPs because of:
- Income loss
- Financial emergencies
- Changing goals
- Poor market performance
- Lack of discipline
- Goal completion
- Switching funds
- Temporary cash-flow problems
SIP
↓
Financial difficulty
↓
SIP stopped
↓
Potentially lower long-term corpus
This is why investors should maintain an adequate emergency fund before committing too much of their monthly income to long-term investments.
SIP amount should fit cash flow
An investor should not choose a SIP amount solely based on the desired future corpus.
The monthly contribution must be sustainable.
For example, an investor with ₹40,000 monthly take-home income may find a ₹20,000 SIP difficult to maintain if they have significant rent, family expenses or debt obligations.
A smaller but sustainable SIP can be more practical.
INCOME
₹40,000
Essential expenses
↓
₹25,000
Sustainable investment
↓
₹5,000–₹10,000
Remaining buffer
The actual amount depends entirely on individual circumstances.
Emergency savings should come first
Before committing aggressively to equity mutual funds, investors should consider maintaining an emergency reserve.
A typical financial-planning framework is:
Income
↓
Essential expenses
↓
Emergency reserve
↓
Insurance
↓
Debt management
↓
Long-term investments
The exact priorities depend on the investor’s circumstances.
The point is that a SIP should not replace basic financial security.
Higher SIP does not automatically mean better
A larger SIP can produce a larger corpus if returns are positive, but investing more money also means committing more capital to the market.
Investors should consider:
- Income stability
- Existing savings
- Debt
- Emergency fund
- Investment horizon
- Risk tolerance
- Financial goals
RIGHT SIP
=
Affordable
+
Sustainable
+
Goal aligned
+
Risk appropriate
What ₹5,000 a month can build
The Upstox illustration shows that a ₹5,000 monthly SIP for 15 years could potentially grow to:
₹20.9 lakh at 10%
or
₹25.2 lakh at 12%.
The total amount invested over 15 years would be ₹9 lakh.
₹5,000/month
↓
₹9 lakh invested
↓
₹20.9 lakh @ 10%
or
₹25.2 lakh @ 12%
The difference represents the effect of investment growth under the assumed returns.
What ₹10,000 a month can build
A ₹10,000 monthly SIP would mean investing ₹18 lakh over 15 years.
Under the Upstox assumptions:
₹41.8 lakh at 10%
or
₹50.5 lakh at 12%.
₹10,000/month
↓
₹18 lakh invested
↓
₹41.8 lakh @ 10%
or
₹50.5 lakh @ 12%
This illustrates how increasing the monthly investment can substantially change the eventual corpus.
What ₹15,000 a month can build
A ₹15,000 monthly SIP means total contributions of ₹27 lakh over 15 years.
At the assumed returns:
- ₹62.7 lakh at 10%
- ₹75.7 lakh at 12%
₹15,000/month
↓
₹27 lakh invested
↓
₹62.7 lakh @ 10%
or
₹75.7 lakh @ 12%
What ₹20,000 a month can build
At ₹20,000 per month, the total contribution over 15 years is ₹36 lakh.
The Upstox illustration gives:
- ₹83.6 lakh at 10%
- ₹1 crore at 12%
This is why the ₹20,000 SIP figure has attracted attention: a relatively straightforward monthly contribution, maintained for 15 years, can potentially cross the ₹1-crore mark under the assumed 12% return.
But the key words are “under the assumed return.”
There is no guarantee that an equity mutual fund will deliver 12% annually for 15 years.
Long-term investing requires patience
Markets can fall sharply even when the long-term outlook remains positive.
Investors who stop SIPs during market declines may miss the opportunity to buy more units at lower prices.
MARKET FALL
↓
Fear
↓
Stop SIP
↓
Miss future recovery
VERSUS
MARKET FALL
↓
Continue SIP
↓
More units at lower prices
↓
Potential benefit from recovery
This does not mean investors should blindly continue investing regardless of their circumstances.
Financial needs and risk capacity should always come first.
The bigger story is India’s SIP culture
The headline figure of 2.3 crore-plus folios with SIP contributions of ₹3,000 or more is significant because it demonstrates how systematic investing has become mainstream.
Millions of investors are now committing money every month to market-linked financial products.
At the same time, the industry continues to attract new SIP accounts.
MORE INVESTORS
↓
MORE SIP ACCOUNTS
↓
MORE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS
↓
MORE MUTUAL FUND ASSETS
↓
DEEPER FINANCIALISATION
This structural shift could remain one of the biggest drivers of India’s mutual fund industry over the next decade.
Key takeaways
1. More than 2.3 crore mutual fund folios had monthly SIP contributions of ₹3,000 or more in FY2025-26.
2. Total SIP accounts increased 3.9% to 10.45 crore during FY2025-26, from 10.05 crore a year earlier.
3. Around 7.2 crore new SIPs were registered during FY2025-26, while 6.8 crore were discontinued or matured.
4. Average net monthly SIP contributions increased 25.8% to ₹16,413 crore, from ₹13,052 crore in FY2024-25.
5. The largest folio brackets were ₹501–₹1,000 and ₹1,001–₹3,000, showing that smaller SIPs remain extremely popular.
6. A ₹3,000 monthly SIP could potentially grow to ₹12.5 lakh at 10% or ₹15.1 lakh at 12% over 15 years, according to the Upstox illustration.
7. A ₹20,000 monthly SIP could potentially reach ₹83.6 lakh at 10% or ₹1 crore at 12% over 15 years, based on the same assumptions.
8. AMFI reported monthly SIP contributions of ₹31,781 crore in June 2026, demonstrating the continued strength of SIP investing.
9. SIP assets stood at ₹17.12 lakh crore in May 2026, representing about 21% of the mutual fund industry’s total AUM.
10. SIP calculators show hypothetical outcomes, not guaranteed returns. Equity mutual funds remain market-linked investments and actual returns can differ substantially.
Conclusion
The rise of SIP investing is becoming one of the defining trends in India’s financial markets.
The latest data shows that more than 2.3 crore mutual fund folios were contributing at least ₹3,000 every month through SIPs during FY2025-26.
That figure is significant because it demonstrates that systematic investing has moved well beyond India’s wealthier households.
Millions of investors are now committing relatively small amounts every month, while a growing number are gradually moving toward larger contributions.
The broader numbers reinforce the trend.
India ended FY2025-26 with 10.45 crore SIP accounts, while average net monthly SIP contributions increased by 25.8% to ₹16,413 crore.
More recently, AMFI reported monthly SIP contributions of ₹31,781 crore in June 2026, keeping monthly SIP flows above the ₹30,000-crore level.
This is happening alongside a dramatic expansion of the overall mutual fund industry.
Mutual fund AUM reached ₹82.22 lakh crore by June 2026, up from ₹13.81 lakh crore a decade earlier.
The numbers point to a broader transformation in how Indian households save and invest.
Instead of keeping most savings in traditional products, more households are allocating money to financial-market instruments.
SIPs are particularly powerful in this transition because they turn investing into a recurring habit.
A person does not necessarily need to start with ₹20,000 or ₹50,000 a month.
Even ₹3,000 a month, if maintained consistently for a long period, can potentially build a meaningful corpus.
The Upstox illustration shows that ₹3,000 a month over 15 years could potentially grow to ₹12.5 lakh at a hypothetical 10% return or ₹15.1 lakh at 12%.
At ₹20,000 a month, the hypothetical corpus rises to ₹83.6 lakh at 10% or ₹1 crore at 12%.
But these figures should not be interpreted as promises.
The biggest risk with SIP calculators is that investors may treat assumed returns as guaranteed.
They are not.
Equity mutual funds can experience substantial volatility, and actual returns over a 15-year period can be very different from 10% or 12%.
The real advantage of SIP investing is therefore not a specific return percentage.
It is discipline + time + compounding.
An investor who starts early, chooses investments appropriate for their risk profile, maintains contributions through market cycles and increases the SIP as income rises can potentially build substantial long-term wealth.
The key is sustainability.
A ₹20,000 SIP that an investor cannot maintain is less useful than a ₹5,000 SIP that continues consistently for many years.
Investors should also ensure that emergency savings, insurance and other financial obligations are adequately addressed before aggressively increasing equity investments.
The next phase of India’s mutual fund growth could therefore come from two sources:
more investors entering the SIP ecosystem and existing investors gradually increasing their monthly contributions.
The data already points in that direction.
India is not simply adding more SIP accounts.
Investors are also contributing more money through them.
That combination could make SIPs one of the most important long-term drivers of India’s mutual fund industry — and potentially one of the most significant channels through which Indian household savings enter financial markets.
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