Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday, 22 December 2025 05:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The unit trust industry of Sri Lanka reported a 16.5% year-over-year growth of its assets under management (AUM) to Rs. 597 billion as of end-November 2025.
These assets are currently managed across 85 funds by 16 management companies.
Industry AUM continues to be bolstered by strong inflows into equity-related funds, which recorded Rs. 3.4 billion in new funds during the month. Additionally, the industry saw 2,945 new unit holders invest in the market in November, with a total of 27,720 new investors added year-to-date.
This indicates a growing familiarity and acceptance of unit trusts as an alternative investment tool among investors. As of end-November, the total number of unit trust investors in the market stood at 141,252, up approximately 25% year-over-year.
Commenting on the industry results, Unit Trust Association of Sri Lanka (UTASL) Vice President and First Capital Asset Management Ltd. CEO Kavin Karunamoorthy said: “We are extremely encouraged to see the upward direction the industry has been heading in this past year. However, we believe there is more to be done. With the recent success of our ‘Investor Awareness Initiative’ held in October, we continue to remain focused on strengthening financial literacy and investor participation across the country in unit trusts.”
“These efforts are carried out in collaboration with the SEC and Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), and we believe the recently launched ‘A Share for Each – A Unit for Everyone’ national initiative by the SEC to promote the industry will help activate and grow the investor base further,” he added.
Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) Chairman Senior Prof. Hareendra Dissabandara recently said that unit trusts were crucial to deepening Sri Lanka’s capital markets by enabling wider public participation through accessible, well-regulated and professionally managed investment options.
“Unit trusts open the door for ordinary citizens, even those with small savings, to become investors. This builds financial inclusion, encourages savings to flow into productive investments, and ultimately strengthens our capital market and national economy,” he said.
“Every investment carries some risk, but unit trusts are one of the safest ways to invest in the market. They are regulated by the SEC and held under the custody of independent trustees, often banks, who ensure that your money is not misused. The funds are required to disclose their performance regularly, so investors can see how their money is growing. Transparency and accountability are built into the system,” Prof. Dissabandara added.
