One group lost ₹2.87 lakh cr. Another made ₹3.54 lakh cr.

Summary: Think trading is your ticket to quick riches? Here’s a reality check: retail traders lost nearly Rs 3 lakh crore in the last four years, while India’s top mutual funds quietly made more than that. We crunched the numbers, and the contrast is staggering — and deeply instructive for every Indian investor. If you’ve ever been tempted by F&O or day trading, you’ll want to read this. Every bull market attracts two kinds of investors: those chasing overnight success with trades, and those patiently compounding wealth through long-term investments. A recent data dive reveals who’s actually winning — and it’s not even close. According to SEBI’s annual study on the F&O segment, individual investors in India lost a staggering Rs 2.87 lakh crore in trading over the last four financial years (FY22–FY25). During the exact same period, India

This article was originally published on July 14, 2025.