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• Total SIF AUM rose 34% MoM to Rs31,175 crore in August 2026, from Rs23,177 crore in July 2026
  Hybrid Investment Strategies continued to dominate, accounting for 69% of total SIF AUM at Rs21,390 crore in August
  Hybrid Long-Short Funds remained the largest strategy, with AUM rising 28% MoM to Rs19,670 crore from Rs15,374 crore in July
  Equity-Oriented Investment Strategies saw AUM rise 46% MoM to Rs9,785 crore, from Rs6,654 crore in July

• According to the ValueMetrics Mutual Fund & SIF Flow Meter (September 2026), Hybrid Long-Short Funds continued to dominate the Specialised Investment Funds (SIF) landscape, contributing 63% of the total SIF AUM as of 31 August 2026, amounting to Rs19,670 crore, with an average folio size of Rs40.1 lakh. This compares with Rs15,374 crore and a 66% share in July.

  Overall, Hybrid Investment Strategies accounted for 69% of the total SIF AUM at Rs21,390 crore in August, up from Rs16,524 crore and a 71% share in July. The category had an average folio size of Rs36.6 lakh, compared with Rs34.1 lakh in July.

  Equity-Oriented Investment Strategies contributed 31% of the total SIF AUM, amounting to Rs9,785 crore, up from Rs6,654 crore in July. The category's average folio size stood at Rs14.6 lakh, compared with Rs14.4 lakh in July.

  Total SIF AUM stood at Rs31,175 crore as of 31 August 2026, with 1,25,539 folios, taking the investor base well past the 1 lakh mark. The average folio size stood at Rs24.8 lakh, compared with Rs23,177 crore in AUM and an average folio size of Rs24.5 lakh in July.

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  Commenting on the SIF trends, Manuj Jain, Co-founder ValueMetrics Technologies said, “The equity market has remained quite volatile over the last two quarters, creating a conducive environment for the long-short and other market-neutral strategies deployed by several SIFs. At the same time, more AMCs are launching SIF NFOs, increasing investor awareness and providing greater choice. While a recovery in markets may moderate some of the relative appeal of long-short strategies, we believe the demand for SIFs can sustain as investors increasingly seek differentiated strategies beyond traditional long-only products.”

  Overall SIF — Month on Month

  
  Total SIF inflows stood at Rs7,699 crore in August 2026, a sharp 56% increase over Rs4,922 crore recorded in July 2026. Since October 2024, cumulative SIF inflows have reached Rs30,028 crore.

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  Hybrid Long-Short Funds received Rs4,113 crore in August 2026, a 26% increase from Rs3,258 crore in July 2026. Since October 2024, Hybrid Long-Short Funds have attracted cumulative inflows of Rs18,939 crore, accounting for 63% of total SIF inflows, the highest among all investment strategies.

  Equity-Oriented Investment Strategies received Rs3,029 crore in August 2026, more than doubling from Rs1,454 crore in July 2026. Since October 2024, cumulative inflows into Equity-Oriented Strategies have reached Rs9,421 crore, contributing 31% of total SIF inflows.

  Overall, the mutual fund industry continued to witness healthy investor participation in August 2026. Total mutual fund AUM increased to Rs87 lakh crore, while net inflows into Active Equity and Hybrid Funds stood at approximately Rs39,000 crore, supported by sustained retail participation and continued interest in equity-oriented investment products.

  Gold ETFs, meanwhile, saw net inflows of Rs2,597 crore in August 2026, up 67% from Rs1,559 crore in July. This followed a moderation in July, when Gold ETF net inflows stood at Rs1,559 crore compared with Rs3,443 crore in June. The sharp rise in August indicates renewed investor interest in gold ETFs.

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