They left jobs for F&O trading and...: Fund manager warns as retail traders lose Rs 1.8 lakh crore in 2 years

Time of India

09-07-2025

Retail investors in India
are facing steep losses in the
equity derivatives market
, raising concerns about the financial well-being of the middle class and its ripple effects on the broader economy. According to a recent report by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), retail traders lost a staggering Rs 1.05 lakh crore in derivatives trading during FY25 — a sharp 41% increase from the Rs 74,812 crore loss recorded in FY24.
Gurmeet Chadha
, Managing Partner and CIO, in a post on social media platform X said much of this financial damage is being borne by the tax-paying middle class. He pointed out that this alarming trend is not just a market concern but is beginning to affect broader economic activity, particularly consumption in urban and semi-urban regions.
Chadha noted a worrying shift: many individuals, hoping to strike it rich through trading, have left stable jobs to become full-time traders. This move, often driven by unrealistic expectations and lack of professional guidance, has resulted in significant financial setbacks for many. The impact of these losses is now visible in reduced household spending, hinting at the deeper consequences of unchecked retail participation in high-risk financial instruments, Gurmeet Chadha said.
— connectgurmeet (@connectgurmeet)
He emphasized the need for a more disciplined approach to personal finance—urging individuals to focus on long-term investments rather than short-term speculative trades. His advice was clear: reduce excessive trading activity, increase informed investing, and seek help from financial experts to build wealth more sustainably and avoid emotional and economic distress.
This alarming trend comes at a time when the regulator is already probing high-profile allegations of market manipulation. Just before SEBI released this study, it issued an interim order against US-based trading firm Jane Street, accusing it of manipulating Indian stock indices to profit from its derivative positions. The timing has only intensified public scrutiny on the structure and regulation of India's derivatives market.
Retail participation in futures and options (F&O) has soared in recent years, driven by the allure of quick profits, social media-fueled hype, and the perception that trading is a viable path to wealth.
However, this surge in activity has not been matched with adequate risk education, said many netizens, adding that many new traders enter the market without understanding the complexities of options, volatility, and capital allocation. T
Social media users voiced strong reactions to the
SEBI report
. Many pointed out that a majority of the profits in derivatives trading are absorbed by prop desks, brokers, and levies like STT and GST — leaving retail traders with little or nothing. Some users likened the market to a casino where the house (institutions) always wins and retail players almost always lose. Others lamented that these trading losses are now visibly hitting consumption patterns, as households dip into savings or even fall into debt trying to chase short-term profits.