SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey Stresses Need For Financial Literacy & Investor Protection

New Delhi: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Saturday stressed the need for financial literacy and investor protection in an increasingly digital financial landscape. To boost investor protection, SEBI will continue to expand multilingual, multimedia campaigns—building on initiatives like SEBI vs SCAM—and leverage its new state-level offices to deepen investor education at grass root level, he said.

Addressing a regional investor awareness seminar organised by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Puducherry, Pandey said financial choices are getting more integrated with daily life and called financial literacy “a foundation of empowerment, enabling individuals to understand how to save, invest and protect their hard‑earned money while navigating an increasingly digital and interconnected financial ecosystem.”

Citing SEBI’s Investor Survey 2025, Pandey noted that only 36 per cent of investors have moderate or high knowledge of securities markets while 62 per cent rely on friends, family or social media for advice. “These findings highlight that awareness is not the same as understanding, and participation without knowledge exposes individuals to unnecessary risk. The gap between awareness and action — and between participation and comprehension — underscores why financial literacy must deepen alongside market growth” he said.

Puducherry’s investor base has grown 5.6 times, from 22,000 investors in fiscal 2014–15 to nearly 1.24 lakh now, supported by high per capita income and a literacy rate above 85 per cent, Pandey said. Pandey said that the Union Territory has a population base "that is well-positioned to engage with financial products confidently”. India has over 21 crore dematerialised (demat) accounts held by around 13.6 crore unique investors, with roughly one lakh new accounts opened every day, and the total mutual fund assets under management have crossed Rs 80 trillion, up seven times compared to a decade ago.

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