Mumbai | 02-Oct-2025, 12:30 IST — Filed via IOSCO / SEBI / NSE releases
From October 6–12, 2025, securities regulators, stock exchanges, and investor groups across the globe will participate in World Investor Week (WIW 2025). The campaign, spearheaded by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), has grown into a global platform to improve financial literacy, investor education, and protection.
Now in its ninth year, WIW will be observed in over 100 jurisdictions. India’s coordination is led by SEBI, supported by the NSE, BSE, and investor education foundations. Together, they aim to deepen outreach at a time when digital finance, fintech apps, and AI-driven investing are transforming market participation.
Focus Areas for 2025
This year, IOSCO has identified three global themes:
- Technology & Digital Finance:
The rise of online trading apps, robo-advisors, and AI-powered portfolio tools has made investing more accessible, but also more complex. WIW 2025 will emphasise how investors can use technology safely, while being aware of risks like over-leveraging, hidden fees, and data misuse. - Artificial Intelligence (AI):
With AI models now recommending trades, analysing stocks, and even managing personal portfolios, investor education must keep pace. Sessions will address algorithmic bias, black-box decisions, and limits of AI in volatile markets. - Fraud & Scam Prevention:
Fraudsters are adopting AI and social engineering to target retail investors. WIW will feature campaigns on identifying red flags in Ponzi schemes, crypto scams, and “get-rich-quick” trading tips. Regulators in several countries, including the U.S. CFTC, have already announced scam-awareness webinars for the week.
India’s Role
India has seen an explosion of retail participation in recent years, with new demat accounts and direct equity trading rising sharply. To align with WIW 2025, SEBI and exchanges are expected to roll out:
- Ring the Bell events to symbolically mark investor literacy efforts.
- Investor awareness campaigns across print, television, and social media, using ready-made WIW toolkits.
- Workshops in schools and colleges, aiming to build financial literacy from a young age.
- Digital challenges and quizzes, to keep retail investors engaged online.
In previous editions, India has leveraged WIW to push messaging around long-term investing, mutual funds, and SIP discipline. This year, the focus may shift toward safe usage of digital finance tools and caution against unregulated apps.
Why It Matters
Investor protection is not just about spotting scams. It is also about building resilience. With valuations stretched in certain pockets of the Indian market, campaigns like WIW remind retail participants to:
- Diversify instead of chasing fads.
- Read the fine print in brokerage or fintech app agreements.
- Verify credentials of advisors before acting on tips.
- Recognise that AI tools are supportive, not foolproof.
Critics often note that while campaigns raise awareness, sustained impact requires follow-through. Fraudsters are constantly innovating, and awareness drives need to be continuous, not episodic.
The Way Ahead
WIW 2025 comes at a time when financialisation of savings in India is accelerating, but so are risks of mis-selling and cyber scams. For the global investing community, this week is a reminder that markets reward knowledge, patience, and discipline.
For India, it is also a chance to showcase how regulators and exchanges are adapting to digital-first investors. From algorithm-based trading apps to AI-driven research platforms, investors today need sharper skills to protect wealth.
As the campaign kicks off on October 6, eBharat.com will track the key announcements, workshops, and lessons for Indian investors.
“A smart investor relies on verified sources while investing and ignores unsolicited offers on social media suggest some such quotes“
