Published Paper Details:

This study examines investor awareness and perception of contemporary investment avenues, including systematic investment plans (SIPs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), digital gold, cryptocurrencies, peer-to-peer lending, and robo-advisory platforms. Primary data was collected from 150 respondents in Jaipur using a structured questionnaire based on 5-point Likert scales. The data was analysed with SPSS using descriptive statistics, correlation, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression. The results show that awareness levels are moderate, with SIPs, digital gold, and cryptocurrencies being the most familiar, while REITs, P2P lending, and robo-advisory platforms remain less known. Respondents expressed high expectations of returns and strong acceptance of digital convenience, but also reported concerns about risk and regulatory trust. Correlation analysis indicated that adoption intention is positively related to awareness, return expectation, trust, and digital convenience, and negatively related to risk concerns. ANOVA confirmed significant age differences in awareness, with mid-aged investors (26-45 years) scoring higher than younger groups. Regression analysis explained 53% of the variance in adoption intention, highlighting awareness, expected returns, trust, and digital convenience as positive predictors, while risk and age reduced adoption likelihood. The study concludes that although contemporary avenues are gaining ground, adoption is held back by regulatory uncertainty and risk perceptions. The findings suggest that strengthening investor education, building regulatory transparency, and enhancing trust mechanisms are essential to encourage wider acceptance of new investment products.