89% of Young F&O Traders Lost Money: Are You Next?

Nearly 9 out of 10 traders under age 30 lost money in F&O (futures and options) trading in FY26. Most were from low-income groups. This is a serious warning about a high-risk game being marketed as easy wealth to young Indians.

Here's what happened: SEBI data shows 89% of individual F&O traders under age 30 recorded net losses in FY26, with young traders now making up 43% of all individual participants.. A disproportionate share of losing young traders came from low-income households, meaning losses hit those with the least financial cushion the hardest.. F&O trading volumes in India have exploded over the last 3 years, fuelled by zero-brokerage apps, social media trading content, and pandemic-era market excitement normalising speculation..

What you should do: Avoid F&O entirely if you have less than 3 years of investing experience — SEBI's own data confirms the odds are overwhelmingly against retail participants, especially beginners.. Redirect any money earmarked for 'trading' into a simple SIP on a Nifty 50 or Nifty Next 50 index fund through a SEBI-registered mutual fund platform instead.. Check whether any finfluencer or trading course you follow is SEBI-registered — if they're not, their 'profit screenshots' are unregulated marketing, not financial advice..

F&O losses above ₹2 lakh in a year cannot be offset against your salary income — they can only be carried forward against future F&O profits for up to 8 years, so the tax pain compounds the financial pain.

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