Bengaluru

Groww, India’s largest mutual fund investment platform, said direct mutual fund investments will continue to remain free for do-it-yourself (DIY) investors as it rolled out MF Prime - an opt-in feature, seeking to dispel concerns that it was moving users away from direct plans.

The company said its new offering, called MF Prime, is designed for investors who want guidance on selecting, reviewing and rebalancing mutual fund portfolios, while users who prefer investing on their own can continue using direct plans without any change in pricing or experience.

Groww said it began piloting MF Prime with a small group of users in January and has now started a wider rollout following what it described as an encouraging response. Customers who opt into MF Prime will have their future mutual fund investments made through regular plans, while their existing investments will remain in direct plans. Users can also switch back to direct plans through the app’s settings, the company said.

In a post on X, Groww said, “If you are a DIY customer on Groww today, nothing changes for you. Not the plans, not the pricing, not the experience. Any commentary claiming Groww has changed its approach to mutual fund investing is simply incorrect.”

The company said MF Prime combines recommendations from its in-house research team with an artificial intelligence engine that evaluates mutual funds based on performance, risk and suitability. The service provides buy, hold, exit and portfolio rebalancing recommendations based on an investor’s financial goals, risk appetite and investment horizon. Groww said the product was introduced in response to demand from users seeking investment guidance, while maintaining its existing direct mutual fund offering for self-directed investors. The platform has more than 10 million mutual fund investors and assets under management of more than Rs 1.9 lakh crore in direct mutual funds.