SEBI released new studies on August 20, 2026 examining trading behaviour and profitability of individual investors in the equity derivatives segment for FY25 and FY26.
The findings show that 87.7% of individual traders incurred losses in FY26, compared with 90.9% in FY25. Aggregate net losses stood at approximately ?91,685 crore, while the average loss per trader was around ?1.17 lakh.
Around 92% of aggregate individual losses arose from options trading. Retail traders also incurred approximately ?25,000 crore in transaction costs during FY26.
In simple terms, out of every 100 individual F&O traders, roughly 88 ended FY26 with losses.
This is not a new SEBI restriction; it is a fresh study highlighting the risks and behaviour of retail derivatives trading.
Who is affected: Retail futures and options traders.
Action: Understand leverage, transaction costs and potential capital loss before using derivatives.
