Demat Accounts In India: The number of women investors is increasing rapidly in India. According to a recent customer trend from Axis Direct, women-led demat account openings have surged 129 per cent since 2021.

The latest data points to a strong rise in financial participation and inclusion in India which is projected to remain the world's fastest-growing major economy in the world.

As per Axis Direct, mutual fund (lumpsum) (49 per cent) and systematic investment plans (33 per cent) account for the majority of total investments by women, underscoring a strong preference for disciplined, long-term financial planning over short-term market exposure.

Investments in direct equities, derivatives and commodities remain minimal, further reflecting a risk-aware investment approach. This trend reflects a focus on consistency, diversification, and goal-oriented investing.

The preference for systematic investing is particularly pronounced among women in the 26-45 age group, who are leading SIP adoption. Younger investors below 25 and those above 45 tend to favour mutual fund (lumpsum), reinforcing their role as a trusted and accessible investment avenue across different life stages.

Nearly 64 per cent of equity orders placed by women are executed online, Axis Direct data showed.

"These trends collectively point to an evolving investment narrative wherein women are not only entering the markets in greater numbers but are also shaping a more disciplined and resilient investing culture," Axis Direct, which is a subsidiary of Axis Bank, said.

Axis Direct, with over 5 million customers, offers investment solutions like equities, mutual funds, SIPs, IPOs, derivatives, bonds, NCDs, ETFs, and FDs.

Zepto Pay Later Option: Zepto has launched a suite of new in-app features. This includes a 'Pay Later' option and real-time images of fresh produce.

Zepto, the quick commerce platform, said that it is shifting its strategic focus from delivery speed to behaviour-led commerce and the new features are part of the strategy.

Zeptosaid that India's quick commerce market is moving beyond the "race to the fastest 10 minutes" to focus on reducing everyday shopping friction and serving customers more intelligently.

Zepto Pay Later Feature

The newly rolled-out 'Pay Later' feature offers a 15-day, interest-free repayment cycle embedded directly within the app. Designed for high-frequency, low-value orders, the facility allows for a one-tap checkout without One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or third-party redirects.

According to the product interface shared by the company, the service provides instant credit of up to Rs 10,000.

"Meet Zepto Pay Later, a BNPL experience built completely inside the Zepto app. Shopping is now going to be smoother than ever. It's already live for a small percentage, and we plan to scale this up to the entire user base very soon," Zepto Co-Founder Kaivalya Vohra said in a post on LinkedIn.

Furthermore, the company has introduced Real Lens – providing users with daily-updated, timestamped photographs of fresh produce from their nearest store, allowing them to toggle between standard catalogue pictures and actual images.

Zepto expects this to bridge the online "trust gap," to achieve higher conversion rates and fewer returns/complaints.

Additionally, the platform has introduced an 'Add After Checkout' function, which enables customers to add forgotten items to an existing order within a specific time window without having to place a duplicate order, while keeping original delivery timelines intact.

Mutual Fund Investment: Capital market regulator SEBI has proposed to introduce gift cards or gift prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) for investments in mutual funds.

SEBI said that the move is aimed at improving financial inclusion as it will help in onboarding of new investors.

As per the SEBI's proposal, the purchaser of Gift PPI can gift the prepaid payment instrument to a recipient. The receiver will use the gift card to invest in a mutual fund cheme.

SEBI has said that a cap of Rs 50,000 per investor should be in place for investments made through gift cards. These PPIs will be funded only through electronic bank transfer or UPI from an Indian bank account with a validity period of one year from date of issuance.

"The RTAs, on behalf of AMCs will track how much each investor has invested per AMC per financial year through Gift PPI, e-wallets and cash. If the transaction resulting from a Gift PPI redemption crosses Rs 50,000, the RTA will reject the transaction, and the PPI face value will be refunded to the issuer's escrow account," it added.

Traditionally, Gift cards and prepaid solutions have been used in retail purchases and over a period of time their adoption has increased driven by digital payments, offering instant delivery and enhanced security.

The consultation paper comes after the Sebi received a proposal from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) to consider allowing Gift PPI as an instrument to invest in units of mutual fund.

According to Sebi, “Gift Card/ Gift PPI is expected to improve financial inclusion through on boarding of new investors in the mutual fund space.”