DSP Mutual Fund takes on impulsive investing with new awareness campaign to advise caution

The campaign, live across India’s largest airports and featured in leading newspapers, is designed for impact, not just scale. “If even a small percentage of India’s six crore mutual fund investors pause to introspect on how they invest, that’s a meaningful outcome,” Parekh added.

DSP Mutual Fund has launched an investor awareness campaign titled 'No More', to encourage retail investors to pause and reflect on their investment decisions rather than be swayed by short-term market returns.

Speaking to Moneycontrol, Kalpen Parekh, CEO of DSP Mutual Fund said the campaign is rooted in a simple truth, that good investing begins with self-awareness. “Investors don’t always need more action to chase returns; more often, they need to pause and reflect on their own behavior. Through this campaign, we hope to encourage people to acknowledge their own behavioral follies. Acceptance is the first, and most important, step toward better investing,” he said.

The campaign, live across India’s eight largest airports and featured in leading newspapers, is designed for impact, not just scale. “If even a small percentage of India’s six crore mutual fund investors pause to introspect on how they invest, that’s a meaningful outcome,” Parekh added.

The need for the campaign is highlighted by recent trends where over one in four retail mutual fund investments are now via direct plans, up from 12% in 2019. With the industry’s assets under management (AUM) reaching Rs 5 lakh crore in August 2025 and active SIP accounts nearly doubling to 8.56 crore in three years, retail participation is at an all-time high.

However, this growth has brought behavioural challenges too. For every new investor entering the market, many exit at the wrong time. In 2025, SIP stoppages exceeded 100% during volatile months, with 1.62 crore SIPs discontinued in April, triple the previous months.

Parekh said it is the industry’s responsibility to shape investors, not just acquire them. “We’ve focused too much on what drives quick acquisition and too little on what builds lasting investor behaviour. At DSP, we aim to help investors make better decisions through real education, earning long-term trust, and messaging that speaks to the heart, not just the wallet,” he said at the recently concluded Global Fintech Fest.

DSP MF's CEO said given the scale that tech has brought, it’s time to think of responsibility. "We are acquiring consumers, not investors. The role of technology is to represent data honestly, to show both sides of the coin,” Parekh said, highlighting that historical market returns often mask the volatility investors face. While long-term averages in equities have returned around 13% annually over the last 30 years, these figures include periods of rapid growth, steep drawdowns, and extended phases of stagnation. “When we talk about 13% over a long period, most communication focuses on the 40% up cycles, rarely showing worst-case returns or rolling returns,” Parekh said.

DSP MF's 'No More' campaign is aiming to address the dangers of emotional investing. The mid and smallcap funds had seen inflows of around Rs 20,255 crore in Q1FY25 despite frothy valuations, while a study of 967 retail-traded stocks found panic selling often led to regret, as prices rose shortly thereafter. Retail derivative traders too have been losing heavily, with 93% losing money between FY22–24, a Sebi survey had revealed.

“The insights behind this campaign came from conversations with investors, distributors, and advisors who’ve seen firsthand how ego, impulse, and emotion can cloud decisions. Feedback from both the print and airport phases has been encouraging. Many see it as a clarion call for truth, courage, and genuine care for investors,” Parekh said.

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