SEBI’s latest F&O report has a number everyone should see:
Retail traders lost ₹1.70 LAKH CRORE in derivatives in FY25–FY26.
Meanwhile:
• Proprietary traders made ₹90,437 Cr
• FPIs made ₹44,980 Cr
• 99% of PROP & FPI gross profits came from “Algo entities”
• 92% of individual losses came from Options
• 87.7% of individuals were loss-makers in FY26
• 93% of individual derivatives traders traded ONLY Options
The market isn’t just Retail vs Retail anymore.
Retail traders are competing against sophisticated firms with algorithms, infrastructure, data and execution advantages.
Trading isn’t impossible.
But treating F&O like easy money is expensive.
Source: SEBI — Profitability of Individual Traders in Equity Derivatives Segment, FY25–FY26.
4August 21, 2026 1K 13 1
