– Investment fund units rise to 52.5 billion units.. Individuals account for nearly 80%
– Private equity funds and index funds top average returns in Q3 with 15.2% and 13.0% respectively
The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), headed by Dr. Islam Azzam, has issued the quarterly performance report for investment funds, monitoring market developments up to the end of the third quarter of the current year 2026. The report revealed a continued remarkable growth in asset volume, exceeding half a trillion Egyptian pounds, alongside a steady increase in the investor base and a rise in the number of units by more than 19% compared to the second quarter of the year. This reflects the growing role of investment funds as one of the most important investment instruments in the Egyptian market.
The report indicated that the total number of funds across their various issuances rose to 232 funds by the end of September 2026, compared to 224 funds at the end of the second quarter of the year.
In this context, Dr. Islam Azzam, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), emphasized that the continued growth achieved by investment funds and surpassing the half-trillion-pound milestone in net assets reflects the success of the Authority's ongoing efforts to establish a stimulating legislative and regulatory environment and to develop the infrastructure for non-banking financial activities.
He pointed out that the significant diversification in investment instruments and products—greater now than ever before—ranging from equity and money market funds to precious metals, private equity, index, and real estate funds, provides investors across various segments with innovative savings and investment channels that meet their aspirations. This offers effective mechanisms for risk diversification and achieving sustainable returns, thereby supporting the stability of the national economy and enhancing levels of financial and investment inclusion in Egypt.
The report stated that the total net assets of investment funds reached EGP 504.71 billion by the end of September 2026, compared to EGP 470.97 billion at the end of last June, with an increase of EGP 33.74 billion and a growth rate of approximately 7.16% during the third quarter.
Assets denominated in Egyptian pounds recorded EGP 470.10 billion, while the equivalent value of assets denominated in foreign currencies amounted to approximately EGP 34.60 billion, reflecting the continued diversification of the funds' investment portfolios.
Total managed assets also rose to approximately EGP 512.84 billion by the end of September, compared to EGP 478.10 billion at the end of the second quarter, achieving a growth rate of about 7.27%.
The number of investment fund units continued to rise, reaching 52.50 billion units by the end of September, compared to 44.04 billion units by the end of June, registering a growth rate of approximately 19.21% over 3 months.
The report clarified that individuals continued to capture the largest share of investment fund units, with a total of 41.90 billion units representing 79.8% of total units. Meanwhile, juridical entities held 10.16 billion units, accounting for 19.4%, while units set aside for the founding entity of the fund's account reached 0.8% (approximately 441.7 million units).
Regarding investment performance and average returns during the third quarter of 2026, private equity funds topped the returns list with an average of 15.24%, followed by index funds with an average return of 13.03%, then Sector Funds (which focus their funds on a single sector) with an average of 12.23%, precious metals funds with an average of 8.23%, Islamic equity funds with an average of 8.00%, transferable securities funds with an average of 6.76%, followed by Thematic Funds (which focus on specific companies within sectors related to information technology, fintech, and innovation) with an average of 5.68%, and equity funds with an average of 5.55%.
These positive indicators reflect growing confidence in investment funds and the steady expansion in launching new investment products under full supervision, in light of the Financial Regulatory Authority's (FRA) efforts to deepen non-banking financial markets and provide diversified vehicles that meet the needs of various investor segments, thereby contributing to enhancing the attractiveness of the Egyptian capital market.
