India's 11.56 Crore Demat Accounts Signal a Retail Investing Wave Reshaping Market Power

In March 2024, CDSL crossed 11.56 crore demat accounts, reflecting a powerful rise in Indian retail participation in equities. Since the COVID-19 crash of March 2020, low fixed deposit rates and app-based brokers have drawn investors from smaller cities into systematic, long-term investing. This surge has shifted ownership from foreign to domestic investors, even as many retail traders face heavy losses in derivatives amid persistent financial literacy gaps.