What is the fastest growing thing in finance? SIPs? SIFs? Credit cards? Radhika Gupta answers

India’s financial landscape has been undergoing a rapid transformation as more people begin participating in investments, banking and digital payments. One of the most notable changes in recent years is the rising participation of women across multiple financial segments, including mutual funds, insurance, stock market investing, cryptocurrency and digital payments.

Highlighting this trend, Radhika Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, said that women are currently the fastest-growing segment in finance.

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In a recent video shared on social media platform X, Gupta posed a question about what has been the fastest-growing development in the financial sector lately. While one might assume the answer to be mutual fund SIPs, the newly launched product by SEBI, SIFs, or credit cards, Gupta explained that the real answer is the rise of women in finance.
Speaking in the video, Gupta highlighted several rising trends that show how women are increasingly shaping India’s financial ecosystem. According to her, women have recorded nearly 140% growth in mutual fund folios, reflecting a sharp rise in their participation in market-linked investments.

The trend is not limited to mutual funds. Gupta noted that women’s presence has been expanding across a range of financial products. In the insurance sector, she pointed out that one in three life insurance policies in India is now held by women, indicating a growing focus on financial security and long-term planning.

Women are also becoming more active in the stock market. Gupta said their participation in equities has grown by more than 300%, demonstrating a strong shift from traditional saving habits towards investment-oriented financial planning.Beyond investments, women are increasingly using formal financial services. Gupta highlighted that bank account coverage among women has reached around 89%, reflecting the progress made in expanding financial inclusion. At the same time, their participation in credit markets has also risen.

Women have also played a major role in the growth of digital payments in the country. The surge in transactions through Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has transformed the way Indians transact, has been partly driven by the growing number of women using digital financial platforms.

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Summing up the trend, Gupta said that while the financial industry often focuses on products, platforms and technology, the most important shift is the growing financial participation of women themselves.

“The fastest-growing thing in finance today is women,” Gupta said, underscoring how their rising presence is reshaping the country’s financial landscape.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

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