Women Join India Crypto Futures Boom as Gen Z Accounts for 61% of New Traders
Gen Z investors are taking a larger role in India’s crypto futures market, according to a joint study by Pi42 and Hashed Emergent. The report says traders aged 18 to 25 made up 61% of new entrants during 2025, while women’s participation rose 20% year over year. It also shows that trading activity is spreading beyond major cities, with eastern India and smaller urban centers adding more users.
Gen Z leads growth in India crypto futures trading
The study draws on data from more than 200,000 crypto futures traders on Pi42 between January and December 2025. It found that Gen Z investors accounted for 61% of new traders in the INR-denominated derivatives segment. That share points to a strong shift toward younger market participants.
The report also links this rise to India’s wider digital economy and growing interest in digital assets among younger users. It says many of these traders are entering the market through crypto derivatives rather than through spot trading. As a result, futures products are becoming a common starting point for a new group of retail users.
Trading patterns also changed during the period. The average trade size nearly doubled from about $1,051 in 2024 to around $1,960 more recently. At the same time, nearly 60% of active users traded daily, up from about 45% earlier.
Women’s participation rises as trading activity increases
The study says women’s participation grew 20% year over year. Women now account for nearly one in eight traders on the platform. That marks a wider user base in a market that has long seen stronger male participation.
The report also found that nearly one in four crypto derivatives traders booked profits. It links that pattern to better awareness of trading methods and risk control among retail users. In addition, the higher trading frequency suggests that more participants are returning to the platform on a daily basis.
Avinash Shekhar, co-founder and chief executive of Pi42, said, “These trends signal a clear shift in how Indian investors are engaging with crypto derivatives.” He added, “Even amid ongoing global macro and geopolitical uncertainties, trading activity on the platform has remained resilient, with investors continuing to increase participation, trade sizes and overall conviction.”
Shekhar also said, “We are seeing young, digitally native users adopt more strategic and informed trading approaches, while adoption from emerging regions is accelerating at a strong pace.” His comments were included in the study’s findings.
Eastern India and smaller cities add more traders
The report says eastern India accounted for nearly 32% of retail investors on the platform. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya ranked among the leading states in that regional growth. It also says North and Central India doubled in 2025.
That regional spread shows crypto-INR futures trading is moving beyond a metro-led pattern. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are adding more users, and the report says this trend is reshaping participation across the country. The data points to wider access in areas that were previously less visible in crypto market activity.
Tak Lee, chief executive and managing partner of Hashed Emergent, said, “When over 60% of new traders are under 25 and regions like Eastern India are growing at 6x, it tells us this is no longer a niche, metro-driven phenomenon.” He added, “Derivatives are becoming the entry point for a new generation of digitally native investors, and the data suggests we are still in the early innings of this adoption curve.”
