Young adults are an increasingly important segment of the investing population, bringing new attitudes, digital fluency, and distinct priorities to the way they save and invest. This study examines the investment preferences of young adults, focusing on the instruments they prefer, the factors that shape their choices, their risk appetite, and the sources of information and advice they rely upon. Adopting a descriptive and analytical research design supported by a structured questionnaire survey, the study measures preferences across traditional and modern investment avenues and relates them to demographic and behavioural factors such as income, financial literacy, risk tolerance, and investment goals. The findings indicate that young adults display a growing appetite for market-linked and digital investment avenues such as mutual funds, equities, and systematic investment plans, alongside continued reliance on traditional instruments such as bank deposits for safety and liquidity. Returns, safety, liquidity, and ease of access emerge as the leading factors influencing their choices, while financial literacy and risk tolerance significantly shape the willingness to take on market exposure.

Ankit D. Pudke, Dr. Ujwala Narkhede, "Investment Preferences of Young Adults" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V9(5): Page(1595-1600) September - October 2026. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.