Hybrid mutual fund schemes have been gaining popularity among investors, attracting Rs 20,634 crore in January, marking a 37 per cent surge from the previous month, largely due to their appeal as an alternative investment option post-change in taxation laws for debt funds. With this, total inflow in the category reached Rs 1.21 lakh crore in the April-January period of the current financial year (FY24). However, hybrid schemes saw outflow in the same period of the preceding financial year. Hybrid funds are mutual fund schemes that typically invest in a combination of equity and debt securities and sometimes in other asset categories such as gold. The category has been attracting regular inflows since April 2023, after a change in taxation for debt funds that kicked off in the same month. Before that, the segment saw a net withdrawal of Rs 12,372 crore in March last year. According to the latest data with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), hybrid schemes witnessed an