Rise in women independence in investment decision making
A recent survey has revealed some encouraging signs of women participation in the investment decision making. The findings of the DSP Winvestor Pulse 2025-26 in association with YouGov survey results were announced coinciding with the women’s day celebrations. The recent findings highlight a significant rise in financial independence among Indian women. While the YouGov extended over the broader economic empowerment factors, the article focuses on the investment decision making trends.
Compared to 2022, a majority (56 per cent) of women now take financial decisions independently from 44 per cent. Even on the parameter of someone else deciding mostly on their behalf, came down to 2 per cent from the 4 per cent earlier. However, 42 per cent of the men investors take entirely independent investment decisions (without consulting a professional) versus 33 per cent of the women respondents. Of the women who take independent investment decisions and consult an advisor has increased to 24 per cent from 17 per cent in 2022. Inversely, women who don’t consult an advisor has come down to 30 per cent in 2025 from 38 per cent in 2022.
There seems to be a sexist thought ingrained in society or psychology as gender roles are apparent with several categories such where women express sole decision-making role more commonly than men. For instance, in purchase of gold/jewelry, durables and day-to-day purchases for the house, majority (over 50 per cent) of the women take charge ranging. Selecting a school for the children, is an aspect where women relatively involve higher 41 per cent compared to men at 37 per cent.
However, when it comes to the purchase of car, provisioning for home loan/EMIs – majority (over 50 per cent) of the decisions were taken solely by men, with Mediclaim or insurance policies the decision making goes up to 62 per cent. When the decision involves the child’s future education needs and buying a house, men relatively are likely sole decision makers at 42 per cent versus under 40 per cent of women.
Interesting investing in Mutual Funds (MF), stocks/shares - the joint decision making came down from earlier 49 per cent in 2022 to 42 per cent now. Also, in sole decision making by women has increased to 51 per cent from a much lower level of 39 per cent in 2022. However, this still lags that of men respondents’ figure at 64 per cent, a slight increase in three years from 63 per cent. Also, on not being part of the investment decisions, the women survey respondents dropped from 11 per cent to 8 per cent, which is a good sign.
What’s encouraging in this trend of breaking the gender barrier by women is that it’s being supported by men. Women who opted for the sole investment decision making are encouraged by more men i.e., to 18 per cent from 14 per cent in 2022. While it’s just not the partner’s role but a societal change is undergoing as the reason being parent’s encouragement has mildly shot up to 13 per cent from the 12 per cent there years back. Another stark finding is the enforced decision making due to unforeseen events like death, divorce, etc. has shot up to 9 per cent in women versus the 7 per cent in 2022.
Men, however, has seen a marginal increase in the independent decision-making learning by themselves to 39 per cent of the respondents from 38 per cent in 2022, which saw a drop from 32 per cent in women from 2022 to 28 per cent in 2025. Among those women who take join decisions, the lack of knowledge factor has gone down from 20 per cent in 2022 to 16 per cent in 2025. But a surprising element of increase in women on the factor of never attempting to learn about investing rose by 40 per cent to 14 per cent from just 10 per cent, while I don’t have enough knowledge as a factor has gone done to 16 per cent from the 20 per cent recorded in 2022. Shockingly, I’m not allowed to as a factor has gone up to 6 per cent from 5 per cent in 2022.
On the parameter of ‘it feels too complicated for me to understand’, relatively more women face this challenge than men. Though, there’s a spike in respondents agreeing to this factor in 2025 with women at 24 per cent and 18 per cent of men. Past experiences also become a challenge for both the genders though women respondents to, ‘I’ve made mistakes in the past and I’m wary of repeating them’ increased from 22 per cent to 24 per cent.
On a judgmental level, there could be societal or psychological patterns at play as amongst those who say they’re not the most involved person in their household investment decisions state that their mothers have gained prominence per their sons while fathers have gained in the daughter’s perspective. 45 per cent of the women feel strong confidence in leaving a financial legacy, compared to 41 per cent of men.
There’s an increased mention of ‘self-taught’ women in 2025 at 16 per cent versus 13 per cent in 2022. However, spouse as the first source of introduction to financial planning/investment for women. Within the self-taught cohort, fathers are common top 2 source for both genders, the third spot features social circle/friends for men and spouse for women. Family overall leads as a source for investment decisions driven by women consulting their spouse. However, professional sources consultation has increased among women relative to last survey.
Another interesting aspect is the fewer mentions of online advertising exposure for both the genders while ODH (Out Door Hoardings) mentions has increased greatly across the cohorts. A sense of things coming in future, the AI adoption as assistants has seen greater adoption by women over men. Women investors in MF/stocks likelier to share/comment on stock related content on social media than men. Nearly all media channels more common among women-Instagram with notably among women aged under 45.
Nearly all (95 per cent) respondents are happy with their current investment advisors. While most say they are neutral to the gender of the financial advisor, there’s a slight increase in males preferring their own gender (19 per cent vs 15 per cent) and conversely a decrease to 3 per cent from 5 per cent in preference for female advisor. The potential reason for male investor preference towards male advisor could be a perception of their being more proactive/available than women advisors. There’s a substantial decrease in women investors carrying this perception at 34 per cent from 59 per cent. The most popular reason for using an advisor is the factor of ‘trust and fear of money loss’.
Overall, the survey has shown that when women invest with confidence,they improve long-term financial security for families, with a new focus on bridging the planning gap. This is in-line with the govt.’s initiatives of ‘Nari Sakhti Se Vikasit Bharat’ focusing on making financially independent.
(The author is a partner with ‘Wealocity Analytics’, a SEBI registered Research Analyst firm and could be reached at [email protected])
