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• B30 cities contribute ₹13.82 lakh crore or 18.46% to the mutual fund industry
• SBI MF, HDFC MF, ICICI Prudential MF, and Nippon India MF top B30 AUM charts
• Surge signals deepening mutual fund penetration beyond metros
Mumbai: India’s mutual fund industry is witnessing deeper penetration into smaller cities, with B30 (Beyond Top 30) locations contributing ₹13.82 lakh crore, or 18.46% of the industry’s total Assets Under Management (AUM) of ₹74.85 lakh crore, reveals a latest analysis by Cafemutual. This trend underlines the growing trust in mutual fund investments among retail investors outside traditional urban centres.
The analysis highlights that four mutual fund houses — SBI Mutual Fund, HDFC Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, and Nippon India Mutual Fund — now each manage over ₹1 lakh crore AUM from B30 cities alone.
Top Fund Houses in B30 Markets:
| Fund House | B30 AUM (₹ Cr) | % of Total AUM |
|---|---|---|
| SBI Mutual Fund | 2,73,339 | 23.18% |
| HDFC Mutual Fund | 1,65,980 | 19.41% |
| ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund | 1,55,323 | 15.89% |
| Nippon India Mutual Fund | 1,25,604 | 11.12% |
SBI MF has emerged as the clear leader with ₹2.73 lakh crore in B30 AUM, which represents over 23% of its total AUM of ₹11.79 lakh crore. HDFC MF, despite being ranked third in overall size, has surpassed ICICI Prudential MF in B30 contribution with ₹1.66 lakh crore, reflecting 19.41% of its AUM. ICICI Prudential MF holds ₹1.55 lakh crore (15.89%), while Nippon India MF completes the quartet with ₹1.25 lakh crore (11.12%).
Deeper Trends in B30 Penetration:
Among the top 10 fund houses, eight manage more than 15% of their AUM from B30 cities. UTI MF (19.87%), Axis MF (19.71%), and Aditya Birla MF (17.42%) show significant B30 penetration, signaling a broad-based geographic expansion in investor outreach.
Interestingly, Edelweiss Mutual Fund has the lowest B30 contribution among the top 15 fund houses — just 7.07% — suggesting a more urban-centric investor base.
At the other end of the spectrum, Shriram Mutual Fund (32.78%), Quant Mutual Fund (31.62%), Zerodha Mutual Fund (28.38%), and Groww Mutual Fund (31.12%) are witnessing exceptional B30 engagement, likely driven by aggressive digital and regional distribution strategies.
Digital Push and Fintech Effect:
Fintech platforms such as Zerodha MF and Groww MF are proving highly effective in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, clocking over 28–31% of their AUM from B30 markets. This underscores how low-cost, mobile-first investing platforms are revolutionizing mutual fund access for Bharat.
Furthermore, Samco MF (27.54%), Union MF (28.26%), and Mahindra Manulife MF (25.07%) are also showing strong traction in smaller towns, leveraging hybrid distribution strategies, local partnerships, and SIP campaigns tailored to non-metro audiences.
Smaller Cities, Stronger Growth:
The rising contribution of B30 cities to the mutual fund industry reflects an important structural shift in India’s investment landscape. From a regulatory standpoint, SEBI’s incentivized B30 framework continues to bear fruit, with AMCs expanding their rural and semi-urban footprint via distributors, banks, and digital campaigns.
Moreover, consistent SIP inflows, financial awareness programs, and localized content have helped build trust among first-time investors in smaller towns.
Conclusion: A Turning Point in Retail Investment
As mutual funds become a preferred wealth-building tool even outside metros, AMCs are increasingly aligning products and services for B30 markets. Language localization, simplified digital onboarding, and low-ticket SIPs will remain key drivers of future growth.
The ₹13.82 lakh crore figure is not just a number — it signifies the democratization of wealth creation across India, and a potential inflection point where Bharat is beginning to outpace India in investment momentum.
