The total number of mutual fund folios touched a record high of 24.89 crore in August, marking a 5.3 per cent jump over the first five months of FY26. 

The growth rate has decelerated compared to the first five months of FY25, when folio count increased around 14 per cent, rising from 16.99 crore to 19.4 crore. The numbers don’t represent individual investors, as one investor may hold multiple folios across various schemes.

Equity schemes accounted for the largest segment, totalling 17.32 crore folios, according to August data from the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI).

Analysts said that the growth in folio count moderated due to lower New Fund Offer (NFO) activity, cautious investor sentiment and folio consolidation. In August, 23 schemes were launched raising Rs 2,859 crore from investors.

Investor participation has increased markedly, with the number of unique permanent account number (PAN) holders investing in mutual funds doubling from 2.1 crore in March 2020 to 4.5 crore in March 2024, according to data.

Further, the growth in folio count slowed to 5 per cent from April to August in FY26, down from 13.8 per cent in the same period of FY25.

Debt scheme folios rose to 76 lakh in August, an increase from 70 lakh in April, recovering from a marginal decline in the same period last year. Folios in hybrid schemes rose to 1.68 crore folios in May, up from 1.58 crore in April, slightly higher than last year, reflecting steady investor interest in diversified funds.

The “others” category, encompassing ETFs, index funds, and passive funds, reached 4.46 crore folios in August, a significant increase from 4.19 crore in April and 3.47 crore in August 2024.

In August, equity-oriented mutual funds recorded net inflows of Rs 33,430 crore, continuing a streak of 54 consecutive months of positive flows. The systematic investment plan (SIP) inflows in August stood at Rs 28,265 crore, marginally lower than Rs 28,464 crore in July.