SIFPrime Editor's Picks · May 2026

The 4 best SIFs to consider in 2026

Out of the 19 SIFs tracked on SIFPrime, four stand out today — one per major category. Picks are based on Alpha Shield score during the March 2026 crash, since-inception alpha versus benchmark, fund-manager track record, and TER efficiency on the Direct plan.

Best Hybrid Long-Short

Altiva — Edelweiss MF

Lowest drawdown during March 2026 crash. Income-oriented structure with cash-future arbitrage and derivatives. Best for FD-beating, low-volatility returns with capped equity participation.

Read the Altiva review →

Best Equity Long-Short

qSIF Equity Long-Short — Quant MF

Quant's flagship long-short equity SIF with India's most-tested systematic active strategy. Higher volatility but strong alpha generation through full market cycles.

Read the qSIF Equity review →

Best Ex-Top 100

qSIF Ex-Top 100 — Quant MF

Mid- and small-cap focused with derivative-based hedging. Higher target returns (12-15% p.a.) for investors with 3+ year horizon and high risk tolerance.

Read the qSIF Ex-Top 100 review →

Best Active Asset Allocator

Dyna AAA — 360 ONE Asset

Dynamic rotation across equity, debt and arbitrage based on quantitative signals. Lower equity beta with downside cushion — ideal for investors with moderate risk tolerance.

Read the Dyna AAA review →

Reviewed by

Kiran Dutta, Founder of SIFPrime. Columbia MBA, ex-Wall Street, NISM SEBI Research Analyst certified. Founder of AlphaBull Trading Academy. Last review: May 2026.

Editorial independence: SIFPrime does not sell SIFs and does not receive commission from AMCs. Picks reflect SIFPrime's independent analysis of publicly disclosed data. SIFs carry high risk; please read the Scheme Information Document and consult a SEBI-registered investment advisor before investing.

SIFPrime
Investor Education
March 2026

All 20 SIFs in India Ranked and Explained (2025–26)

The only fund-by-fund breakdown of every Specialized Investment Fund launched in India — strategy, risk band, target returns, and who each fund is built for.

SIFPrime.com | Investor Education

India's Specialized Investment Fund (SIF) category is one of the most significant regulatory developments in Indian wealth management in recent years. Positioned between Mutual Funds and Portfolio Management Services (PMS), SIFs allow qualified investors to access institutional-grade long-short strategies, derivatives-based hedging, and multi-asset portfolios — all within a SEBI-regulated framework. The minimum ticket is ₹10 Lakhs per PAN.

As of May 2026, 20 SIF strategies are tracked on SIFPrime across leading AMCs. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of every fund currently available.

1. Altiva Hybrid Long-Short Fund — Edelweiss

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 1
Target: 9–10% p.a.

Altiva is an income-oriented strategy built around cash-future arbitrage (20–40%), fixed income (40–60%), and special situation derivatives including covered calls and straddles. Net equity exposure is capped at 0–15%, making it one of the most conservative SIF offerings. Minimum investment horizon is 1.5 years. Redemption twice a week — Mondays and Wednesdays. Exit load of 0.50% within 180 days.

Best for: Investors seeking FD-beating, low-volatility returns with equity-market participation capped at minimal levels.

2. Apex Hybrid Long-Short Fund — Aditya Birla Sun Life

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 2
Target: 8–9% p.a.

Apex is an ESF+ strategy combining arbitrage, directional equity, derivative strategies, and special situations. Equity and arbitrage ranges 35–65%, balanced by equal debt. Unhedged short positions permitted up to 25%. Redemption on Monday and Wednesday. Exit load 0.5% within 3 months.

Best for: Investors seeking stable returns through a diversified long-short mandate with limited downside.

3. Arudha Equity Long-Short Fund — Bandhan

Equity Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 12–14% p.a.

Flexicap dynamic long-short strategy targeting equity-like returns at nearly half the volatility. All-cap equity and arbitrage (80–100%), fixed income up to 20%, unhedged short derivatives up to 25%. Daily purchase and redemption. Exit load 0.5% within 1 month.

Best for: Investors transitioning from aggressive hybrid funds wanting equity returns with significantly lower drawdowns.

4. Arudha Hybrid Long-Short Fund — Bandhan

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 2
Target: 6.5–7% p.a.

Zero net equity exposure — 100% fixed income and arbitrage. The SIF category's closest substitute for a fixed deposit with LTCG tax advantage after 12 months. Daily purchase; redemption Mon and Thu.

Best for: Fixed income investors seeking better post-tax returns than FDs with near-zero equity risk.

5. Diviniti Equity Long-Short Fund — ITI Mutual Fund

Equity Long-Short
Risk: Level 2
Target: 10–11% p.a.

Flexicap dynamic long-short strategy from ITI Mutual Fund. All-cap equity and arbitrage (80–100%), fixed income up to 20%, unhedged short derivatives up to 25%. Daily purchase and redemption. Unique exit load: 10% of units free within 6 months; 0.50% on remaining within 6 months.

Best for: Equity-linked growth investors seeking managed drawdowns across market cycles.

6. DynaSIF Active Asset Allocator Fund — 360 ONE

Hybrid Asset Allocator
Risk: Level 3
Target: ~10% p.a.

True multi-asset long-short strategy dynamically allocating across debt (20–65%), equity and REITs (20–50%), and commodity derivatives (0–25%). Covered calls, arbitrage, volatility trades. Redemptions on Mondays only — 7 working days notice required. Exit load 0.5% within 3 months.

Best for: Investors seeking diversified multi-asset exposure with active risk management.

7. DynaSIF Equity Long-Short Fund — 360 ONE

Equity Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 14–16% p.a.

The highest target-return SIF in the current universe. Flexicap long-short with all-cap equity and arbitrage (80–100%), tactical shorts up to 25%. Daily redemption. 3–4 year horizon. Exit load 0.5% within 3 months.

Best for: Sophisticated investors seeking aggressive Flexicap alpha with a smarter approach to India's growth story.

8. iSIF Ex-Top 100 Equity Long-Short Fund — ICICI Prudential

Equity Ex-Top 100 Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 12–15% p.a.

Value-conscious long-short strategy focused on SMID stocks outside India's top 100. Uses covered calls, straddles, strangles, pair trades. Daily redemption. Exit load 1% within 1 year.

Best for: Mid and small-cap investors seeking alpha with active risk management.

9. iSIF Hybrid Long-Short Fund — ICICI Prudential

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 11–12% p.a.

BAF+ strategy with dynamic net equity from -7.5% to 75%. Covered calls, stock puts, arbitrage. Unhedged shorts capped at 10%. Daily redemption. Exit load 1% within 1 year.

Best for: Equity-like returns with 50–70% lower drawdown than pure equity funds.

10. Magnum Hybrid Long-Short Fund — SBI

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 1
Target: 8–10% p.a.

Conservative hybrid using collars, covered calls, arbitrage. Net equity typically below 10–15%. Redemption Mon and Thu. Exit load tiered: 0.5% ≤15 days, 0.25% ≤1 month, nil after.

Best for: All-weather investors seeking consistent low-volatility returns backed by India's largest AMC.

11. Titanium Hybrid Long-Short Fund — Tata

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 3
Target: 8–10% p.a.

Dynamic hybrid across equities, debt, REITs, InvITs with tactical long-short derivatives. Unhedged shorts up to 25%. Monthly redemption (first working day). Exit load 1% within 1 year.

Best for: Premium investors seeking BAF-type returns with Tata's institutional investment framework.

12. QSIF Long-Short Equity Fund — Quant

Equity Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 10–12% p.a.

Quant's proprietary VLRT framework applied to long-short equity. All-cap equity and arbitrage (65–100%), longs up to 35%, shorts up to 25%. Daily redemption. Exit load 1% within 15 days.

Best for: Investors seeking Flexicap long-short with Quant's data-driven systematic approach.

13. QSIF Hybrid Long-Short Fund — Quant

Hybrid Long-Short
Risk: Level 5
Target: 9–10% p.a.

Systematic long-short hybrid using MARCOV framework and High Frequency Analytics. Redemption Tue and Wed. LTCG applies after 24 months — unique in the category.

Best for: Systematic/quant investors seeking BAF-type returns with model-driven execution.

14. QSIF Equity Ex-Top 100 Long-Short Fund — Quant

Equity Ex-Top 100 Long-Short
Risk: Level 5

SMID-focused SIF with Quant's VLRT framework. SMID equity and arbitrage (65–100%), unhedged longs and shorts via derivatives. Daily redemption. Exit load 1% within 15 days.

Best for: SMID investors seeking systematic, data-driven alpha generation outside India's top 100 stocks.

SIFPrime Tip: With 20 funds across 11 AMCs and 3 strategy types, choosing the right SIF requires matching your risk appetite, return expectations, liquidity needs, and tax horizon. Use SIFPrime's comparison tool to filter by category, risk level, and target return.

Quick Reference: All 20 SIFs at a Glance

FundAMCCategoryRiskTarget ReturnMin Horizon
AltivaEdelweissHybrid L-SL19–10%1.5Y+
ApexABSLMFHybrid L-SL28–9%1.5–2Y
Arudha EquityBandhanEquity L-SL512–14%2–3Y+
Arudha HybridBandhanHybrid L-SL26.5–7%1Y+
DivinitiITI MFEquity L-SL210–11%2–3Y+
DynaSIF AAF360 ONEMulti-AssetL3~10%1–1.5Y+
DynaSIF Equity360 ONEEquity L-SL514–16%3–4Y+
iSIF Ex-Top 100ICICI PruEx-Top 100 L-SL512–15%3–4Y+
iSIF HybridICICI PruHybrid L-SL511–12%2Y+
MagnumSBIHybrid L-SL18–10%2Y+
TitaniumTataHybrid L-SL38–10%2Y+
QSIF EquityQuantEquity L-SL510–12%3Y+
QSIF HybridQuantHybrid L-SL59–10%2–3Y
QSIF Ex-Top 100QuantEx-Top 100 L-SL5—3Y+

Compare All SIFs Side by Side

Use SIFPrime's comparison tool to find the right SIF for your portfolio.

Explore All SIFs & Guides

Every SIF fund page, guide, and comparison on SIFPrime — in one place.

SIF Funds (20 tracked)

Guides & Resources

About SIFPrime

SIFPrime.com is India's first dedicated SIF comparison and distribution platform. For distributor partnerships or investor queries, visit www.sifprime.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. SIF investments are subject to market risk. Minimum investment of ₹10 Lakhs per PAN applies. Please read all Scheme Information Documents carefully before investing.

SIF outlook for the rest of 2026

The Indian SIF category enters May 2026 with 17 live funds, 2 NFOs, and at least 4 more SIFs filed with SEBI for launch by year-end. The March 2026 market crash (Nifty -11.30%) was the first stress test for the category — and the spread between best and worst Hybrid Long-Short funds was over 8 percentage points, proving that fund selection inside the category matters far more than the category-versus-MF debate.

Three things to watch for the rest of the year. First, more AMCs will enter — Mirae Asset, DSP, and Nippon are all rumoured to be filing SIF schemes. Second, AUM consolidation will start; the top 4-5 funds are likely to capture 70%+ of incremental flows as empanelment with MFDs deepens. Third, SEBI is expected to clarify rules around SIF SIPs, NRI subscriptions, and ARN-distributor commissions — any of which could re-shape who wins.

For investors evaluating SIFs today, the headline takeaway: pick by Alpha Shield, not by hype. Brand familiarity (SBI, ICICI) does not translate to better fund management in this category — Edelweiss and Quant outperformed the marquee houses through the March drawdown. Use SIFPrime's side-by-side comparison tool and returns tracker to filter on protection quality before brand.

How SIFPrime ranks SIFs (methodology)

We don't rank SIFs by short-term return — most schemes have less than 12 months of NAV history, and category averages can be misleading when a fund launched into a different market regime. Instead, the editorial picks above are selected on four dimensions:

  1. Alpha Shield Score (40% weight) — capital protection during the March 2026 crash, scored 0-10 against the fund's own SEBI-disclosed benchmark.
  2. Since-inception alpha (30% weight) — outperformance versus benchmark from launch to today, time-weighted.
  3. Manager pedigree and AMC track record (20% weight) — fund-manager experience with long-short / multi-asset strategies, and AMC's history with derivative-using mandates.
  4. Cost efficiency (10% weight) — Total Expense Ratio on the Direct plan, with bonus for transparent performance fees.

We exclude funds in NFO from the ranked picks (they have no real-world performance). Methodology is reviewed quarterly; the next review is scheduled for August 2026 after Q1 FY27 returns are published.

Frequently asked questions

Which SIF should I invest in for 2026?
There is no single 'best' SIF — the right pick depends on your risk profile and time horizon. For capital protection, the SIFPrime editorial pick is Altiva (Edelweiss) — Hybrid Long-Short with the lowest drawdown during the March 2026 crash. For growth seekers willing to accept volatility, qSIF Equity Long-Short or Arudha Equity Long-Short stand out on alpha versus benchmark. For those wanting active asset rotation, Dyna AAA from 360 ONE is the most-tested option. See the editor's picks below for each category.
How are the SIFs ranked on this page?
Funds are ordered alphabetically for fair comparison rather than ranked by short-term returns (most SIFs have less than 12 months of data). The 'Editor's Pick' for each category is selected by SIFPrime using four criteria: (1) Alpha Shield score during the March 2026 crash, (2) since-inception return versus the benchmark, (3) fund-manager pedigree and AMC track record, and (4) cost efficiency (TER on the Direct plan).
How many SIFs are there in India right now?
As of May 2026, 19 Specialized Investment Funds are tracked on SIFPrime — 17 are live and trading, 2 are in NFO. They span 11 AMCs: Quant, ICICI Prudential, SBI, Tata, Edelweiss, Bandhan, Aditya Birla Sun Life, ITI, 360 ONE, Franklin Templeton and The Wealth Company. The category was launched by SEBI on April 1, 2025, and is growing roughly 2-3 new schemes per quarter.
What's the difference between Hybrid, Equity, and Ex-Top 100 SIFs?
Equity Long-Short SIFs invest in the broad equity market with up to 25% unhedged short exposure via derivatives — high beta, high alpha potential. Hybrid Long-Short SIFs combine equity, debt, and derivatives — lower volatility, more capital protection. Ex-Top 100 Long-Short SIFs focus on companies outside the largest 100 by market cap (mid- and small-caps) with a derivative-based hedge. Active Asset Allocators dynamically rotate across all three with quantitative signals.
Are SIFs better than mutual funds or PMS?
Neither — they're a different tool. SIFs are better than mutual funds when the fund manager genuinely needs short-selling and derivatives flexibility (most don't). SIFs are better than PMS when you want lower minimum investment (₹10 lakh vs ₹50 lakh), MF-grade governance, and daily NAV pricing. SIFs are NOT better when you want simple long-only equity exposure (cheaper via index funds) or alternative-asset access (better via AIFs). See SIFPrime's SIF vs MF vs PMS comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.
Which AMC has the best SIF in 2026?
It depends on the strategy. Edelweiss (Altiva) leads the conservative Hybrid Long-Short category. Quant (qSIF) has the broadest SIF lineup with 4 schemes across multiple categories — best for investors who want the full quant approach. SBI (Magnum) has the strongest distribution and AUM as a flagship Hybrid SIF. 360 ONE (Dyna) leads in Active Asset Allocator. The Wealth Company (WSIF) is the newest entrant with two NFO funds focused on equity and ex-top-100 strategies.
What is the Alpha Shield score?
Alpha Shield is SIFPrime's proprietary capital-protection rating on a 0-10 scale. It measures how much downside a SIF avoided during the March 2026 market crash (Nifty -11.30%) versus its own SEBI-disclosed benchmark. A score above 7 means the fund significantly protected capital during the drawdown — exactly the value proposition SIFs are supposed to deliver. Use this score alongside since-inception return to evaluate quality.
How often is this ranked list updated?
The fund list is updated immediately when a new SIF is launched or an NFO closes. The editorial picks and category winners are revisited every quarter based on rolling crash-period performance, since-inception alpha, and any material changes in fund management or strategy. NAV and return numbers across the site refresh daily.
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