NSE trading accounts cross 25 crore; unique investors at 12.7 crore

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) announced that it has crossed a significant milestone, with the total number of unique client codes (UCCs), or trading accounts, surpassing 25 crore (250 million) in February 2026 so far.

The exchange, in a release dated February 12, said the most recent one crore accounts were added in just two months, signalling accelerating onboarding momentum. Notably, the last five crore accounts -- nearly 20 per cent of the total base -- have been added in the past 16 months alone.

As of January 31, 2026, the number of unique registered investors stood at 12.7 crore, after crossing the 12-crore mark on September 22, 2025. Since investors are permitted to open accounts with multiple brokers, NSE highlighted that the number of trading accounts exceeds the count of unique investors.

Maharashtra continues to top the charts in investor participation, with 4.2 crore accounts, accounting for nearly 17 per cent of the total. Uttar Pradesh follows with 2.8 crore accounts (11.3 per cent share), while Gujarat has around 2.2 crore accounts (8.7 per cent).

West Bengal and Rajasthan have 1.4 crore accounts each, contributing 5.8 per cent share apiece. The top five states together account for nearly 49 per cent of all investor accounts, while the top 10 states contribute over 73 per cent.

NSE attributed the expansion to rapid digitisation, the fintech revolution, the rise of low-cost trading platforms, and a growing middle class. Strong market returns have also supported participation. Over the five-year period ended February 11, 2026, the Nifty 50 and Nifty 500 delivered annualised returns of 11.3 per cent and 13.7 per cent, respectively.

Indirect participation has also strengthened. Between April 2025 and January 2026, nearly six crore new SIP accounts were opened, with average monthly SIP inflows rising to Rs 28,766 crore from Rs 23,743 crore a year earlier.

As of December 31, 2025, individual investors held 18.6 per cent of NSE-listed market capitalisation (m-cap), up from 14.6 per cent five years ago, underscoring growing household ownership of equities.