How to get rich: 20-yr top up SIPs build ₹2.09 cr vs ₹1.03 cr without

Daily, weekly or monthly SIP? 28-year data shows virtually identical returns

If you’ve ever paused your SIP because the market looked “too high” — or delayed starting one because the “crash is coming” — a new study has a message for you: you’ve likely lost more money trying to be clever than you would have by just staying invested.

 

A detailed analysis by WhiteOak Capital Mutual Fund shows that the biggest risk for investors isn't volatility — it’s missing out on compounding 

 

Using nearly 28 years of Sensex data, the study answers the questions most investors obsess over: When should I start my SIP? Which SIP date is best? Should I stop when markets fall? Should I shift funds based on last year’s winners?

 

Turns out, most of those debates don’t matter as much as one simple thing: time in the market.

 

What is an Ideal Investment Time Horizon for SIP ?

 

Longer the Investment Horizon, Higher is the Probability of receiving decent Returns!

 

The study shows that extending an SIP horizon reduces volatility and boosts the odds of positive returns. For 10-year SIPs, the probability of a loss was 0%, and nearly 98% of the time, returns were over 10%. 

Above returns are %XIRR Rolling Returns on monthly basis for BSE SENSEX TRI for SIP between August 1996 to October 2025.

 

Starting at Market Peaks Still Beats Waiting for Dips

 

WhiteOak compared two investors:

 

• Investor A starts SIP at the peak
• Investor B waits for the bottom

 

The table below is the investment summary of two investors, one who started a Rs. 10,000 monthly SIP at the Top of various market cycles and the other at the Bottom: 

How to read the above table: For example, if someone would have started a monthly SIP of Rs. 10,000 in BSE SENSEX TRI during January 2008 (at the peak of market cycle six as per the above table), as of 31-Oct-2025, they would have invested Rs. ₹ 21.4

  Strikingly, even though the bottom starter earned a slightly better percentage return, the peak investor created much more wealth — because they invested earlier and invested more over time   

“The cost of delay is huge.”

 

Waiting for the “perfect entry” is a myth. Over long periods, starting sooner beats starting lower. 

Trying to Time SIP Dates? Doesn’t Matter

 

The analysis of returns across all monthly dates showed no meaningful difference in 10-year SIP returns whether you invested on the 1st, 10th, or 27th of the month  

% XIRR for BSE SENSEX TRI for SIP between August 1996 to October 2025.

 

So the best date for SIP?

 

The day your salary hits your bank.

 

Invest and forget — automation beats precision. 

Daily vs Weekly vs Monthly SIP? Almost Identical Long-Term Returns

 

10 Years Average SIP Return (% XIRR) on Daily Rolling Basis for particular date of the month for BSE Sensex TRI between August 1996 to October 2025.

Daily, weekly, and monthly SIPs showed practically the same long-term returns  

Large Cap, Mid Cap or Small Cap SIP?

An average Large Cap stock is generally less volatile than an average Small and Mid Cap stock and provides stability to the portfolio. However, the Small and Mid Cap (SMID) segments may offer many opportunities for potential higher growth in the long run. The study reveals that, among the three market cap segments, Mid Cap Segment was a good investment option for investors seeking to invest via the long-term SIP route. 

10 Year Monthly Rolling (% XIRR) Return considered from August 1996 to October 2025, first observation recorded on 1-Apr-15.

 

Should You Stop SIPs When Markets Fall? No — it's actually the best time

 

The study finds that SIPs that performed poorly in the first five years ended up doing better over ten years 

 

Why?

 

Bear phases help you accumulate more units — leading to better long-term gains.

 

A “bad start” is actually a gift in disguise.

 

Should You Keep Switching Funds to Chase Winners? Absolutely Not

 

Investors who switched funds every year based on last year’s top performer earned lower returns than those who simply stayed invested in one category.

 

Chasing last year’s winners destroys returns — consistency wins. 

 SIP Top-ups Turbocharge Wealth Creation

 

For investors whose income rises over time, top-up SIPs dramatically increase wealth without needing extraordinary return rates 

Reach Your Goals Faster: With a SIP Top-up, investors can increase their monthly installment amount periodically, which can help them to reach their investment goals faster. So, for example, an investor looking to accumulate a specific corpus for retirement can achieve that target amount much earlier by opting for the SIP Top-up facility and "Retire Early."

 

Start with Less and Still Achieve Your Financial Goals: Top-up SIP allows investors to start investing in a small amount and increase the monthly installment amount over time as their income grows. This is specifically useful for young investors who have just started their job and don't have sizeable monthly surplus money (after accounting for all the expenses) to invest every month but expect their salaries to grow over time.

 

Take "Disciplined Investing" to the Next Level: One of the benefits of SIP is that it brings discipline to investing. An SIP Top-up helps you extend that discipline on your expected higher future surplus money as well. 

Example (20-year SIP)

  Normal SIP v/s Fixed SIP Top-Up v/s Variable SIP Top-up in BSE SENSEX TRI (SIP ending value as on 31-Oct-2025)