Types of Mutual Funds in India

Reviewed by: Fibe Research Team

  • Published on: 21 Nov 2024
Types of Mutual Funds in India

There are many different types of mutual funds in India. Their features allow you to benefit in a variety of ways, be it to:

  • Enjoy capital gains
  • Get dividends 
  • Save on tax 
  • Lower your risk 

To know which mutual fund scheme is ideal for you, spare some time to understand what each brings to the table. This way, you can create a well-balanced portfolio by choosing a combination of schemes or differentiating between them based on your age, goals and stage of life. 

Types of Mutual Funds

You can choose schemes from different mutual fund categories, which help you identify the type of securities being invested in or when you can redeem your units. This helps you make an informed choice. 

A) Based on Asset Class

  • Debt Funds

These schemes invest in fixed-income instruments to give you returns through appreciation of capital and dividends or interest. They pose a lower risk than equity as they invest in bonds, government securities, and treasury bills.  

  • Equity Mutual Funds

These are investments in company stocks where you earn returns based on revenue and profitability. These are riskier but also have the potential for high returns.

  • Money Market Funds

Typically, these schemes possess a maturity duration of up to one year. They constitute a short-term, low-risk investment choice that allocates funds to securities such as treasury bills, certificates of deposit, and commercial paper.

  • Hybrid Mutual Funds

This type is a mix of equity and debt classes to provide a balance of high returns and low-risk stocks. This is why such schemes are also called balance funds.

B) Based on the Structure

  • Open-ended Mutual Funds

This is a scheme which has no fixed entry or exit point. You can invest in such schemes anytime and withdraw your investments without any restrictions. In this way, it offers high liquidity. 

  • Close-ended Mutual Funds

Unlike the open-ended scheme, this investment has a fixed maturity period and offers a restricted number of units for purchase. Consequently, you can invest solely during the initial offering period. Such schemes may include debt and/or equity and are ideal for long-term investment. 

  • Interval Mutual Funds

Merging the advantages of closed and open-ended schemes enables you to purchase and trade finite stocks within a specified timeframe. This is perfect if you seek a long-term investment choice that offers high liquidity.

C) Based on the Investment Goal

  • Aggressive Growth Funds

These are equity-related instruments that give you great returns at a higher market risk, suitable for long-term investment.

  • Capital Protection Funds

This aims to protect the initial investment while offering modest returns by investing in hybrid schemes. They invest mostly in debt securities to overcome market downturns.

  • Equity Linked Savings Scheme

This is a tax-saving option that qualifies under section 80 C of the Income Tax Act. It allows you to receive tax deductions up to 1.5 lakhs when you invest for at least 3 years.

  • Fixed-Maturity Plans

If you are looking to invest in debt securities with a fixed lock-in period, this plan is ideal. It allows you to invest for a short term with lower risk. 

  • Growth Funds

Focusing on capital appreciation, this option primarily invests in equity to get higher returns. It’s ideal if you have a high tolerance for risk and are looking for a long-term investment.

  • Gold Funds

Investing in gold is a preferred option by Indians as it provides a hedge against inflation and diversifies the investment portfolio. Gold funds allow you to invest in gold EFT. 

  • Income Funds

This debt fund category is designed to provide significant capital growth through dividend distributions by investing in both government and corporate bonds.

  • Liquid Funds

It allocates funds in debt instruments with a maturity of as much as 90 days, providing flexibility and reliable returns. This is a great way to give yourself the potential to grow your investment within a shorter duration. 

  • Pension Funds

This type of mutual fund scheme aims to provide you with a retirement corpus and comes with a minimum lock-in period of 5 years. You can also invest up to the age of retirement, during which the fund manager invests as per your risk appetite. 

D) Based on Market Capitalisation 

  • Large Cap Mutual Funds 

This type of fund invests in the top 100 companies listed on the stock market that have a market value of ₹20,000 crores or above. Investing in these poses lesser risk as compared to the two options below. 

  • Mid-Cap Mutual Funds

These schemes allocate resources to firms from 101 to 250 based on market capitalization. Such companies possess a market valuation ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 crores. 

  • Small Cap Mutual Funds

It is called a small-cap mutual fund investment if you decide to invest in companies ranking 251 or below in market capitalisation. These companies have a market value of under ₹5,000 crores. These offer a higher potential for returns. 

Comprehending these different categories and sub-types helps you make better choices as per your investment goal. Different types of mutual funds can help you diversify your portfolio to mitigate the risk. You can find the right schemes no matter which stage of life you’re in, but it’s important to assess your needs beforehand.

With Fibe Loan Against Mutual Funds, you can now avail of instant cash of up to ₹10 lakhs while staying invested in the market and growing your portfolio. To know more, Download the Fibe App or visit the website today.

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