What Do People in India Invest In?

More than eight in ten online respondents in India (83 percent) said they use financial products or hold investments, according to a 2025 Statista Consumer Insights survey. This is notably higher than in the United Kingdom (71 percent), Germany (66 percent) or the United States (61 percent). India's figure is, however, broadly in line with several other Asian markets, including China (81 percent), South Korea (79 percent) and Malaysia (82 percent), although the latter result is based on a relatively small sample of 497 respondents. In Pakistan, 65 percent of respondents reported using or owning financial products.

The survey also highlights clear preferences in how Indians invest. Insurance products with an investment component, such as life insurance, were the most popular choice, selected by 42 percent of online respondents. Equity investments, including stocks, mutual funds and ETFs, followed closely at 41 percent. Precious metals ranked third. Gold, in particular, holds strong cultural significance in India, playing a central role in festivals and ceremonies.

This is a very different investment portfolio from say, the United States, where loans (20 percent), mortgages (20 percent) and equity (19 percent) took the top three spots, and investments in precious metals ranked much lower, in seventh place, at 10 percent.

Analysts at Statista Market Insights note that Indian investors have increasingly diversified into alternative assets such as precious metals. This shift is driven in part by their appeal as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, as well as opportunities for speculative trading. Greater access to online platforms and rising financial literacy have also encouraged more retail investors to trade gold and silver derivatives.