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The three types of Demat accounts in India are:

1. Regular Demat Account: This is the most common type of Demat account that is used by Indian residents. A Demat account is maintained by the depositories, and depository participants act as intermediaries between the investor and the depository.
2. Repatriable Demat Account: This type of account is specifically designed for non-resident Indians (NRIs). It allows them to invest in the Indian stock market and transfer funds outside India. It is necessary to have a Non-Resident External (NRE) bank account for it.
3. Non-repatriable Demat Account: This type of account is also for non-resident Indians (NRIs) and has some distinct features. In a Non-repatriable Demat account, one can only transfer up to $1 million in a financial year outside India. You must have a Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account linked with this type of Demat account.

Here are some common terms related to the Demat account:

• DP ( Depository Participant): A financial institution such as a bank or a stock broker that is authorized by SEBI to provide Demat account services to investors.
• ISIN ( International Securities Identification Number): It is a 12-character unique number that consists of both letters and numbers assigned to each security traded on the stock exchange.
• Dematerialization: The process of converting physical share certificates into electronic form. Rematerialization is the reverse.
• Rematerialization: The process of converting electronic shares into physical certificates.
• Beneficiary Owner ID (BO ID): It is a 16-digit unique identification number assigned to all demat account holders. For a Demat account with CDSL, the first 8 digits represent the DP ID, and the last 8 digits represent the client ID. In the case of NSDL, the Demat account number starts with “IN”, followed by a fourteen digit numeric code.
• Client ID: A client ID is an eight-digit unique number given by the depository participants to each client to identify them.
• Depository: An organization that holds securities in electronic form on behalf of investors. In India, there are two depositories, NSDL ( National Securities Depository Limited) and CDSL (Central Depository Services Ltd).
• Broker: They facilitate the buying and selling of securities on behalf of clients.
• Power of Attorney (POA): It is a document by which the client gives authority to the broker or DP to make decisions on behalf of the client.
• Nominee: A person who receives the securities if the demat account holder dies.

Demat account offers the following features:

• Electronic storage of security: A Demat account stores your securities in an electronic form, which eliminates the need to handle physical certificates and reduces the risk of loss. This ensures your investments are both secure and easily accessible.
• Easy share transfer: Investors can transfer their holdings from one demat account to another just by giving signed delivery instructions slip to depository participants.
• Loans Against Securities: You can use your demat account holdings to get loans from financial institutions.
• Linking with bank account: A Demat account is linked with your bank account, which allows seamless transactions and automatic credits of dividends to your bank account.
• Convenient: Investors can hold their securities in demat accounts in electronic form, eliminating the risk of losing physical certificates.
• Multiple access points: The Demat account is digital, which makes it accessible from any digital device, like smartphones, PCs, etc.

Here are the benefits of a Demat account:

• Secure: The most important benefit of a Demat account is that it is much safer to hold securities in a Demat account than holding physical certificates, which can get stolen, damaged, or lost.
• Easy Handling: Managing physical share certificates is time-consuming and needs a lot of effort. And keeping track of investment performance also adds extra work. With a demat account, investors manage and hold their investments in one place.
• Easy Trading and Settlement: Demat accounts make the process of buying and selling securities easy by allowing electronic trading and quick settlement.
• Reduces costs: A Demat account eliminates the costs related to physical certificates, such as excessive paperwork and other administrative costs.
• Online Access and Monitoring: Demat accounts can be accessed online, making it easy for investors to check their holdings, track portfolio performance, and view transaction history. It offers real-time updates and hassle-free investment tracking.
• Loan and Margin Facility: The securities held in a Demat account can be used by investors as collateral for getting loans or trading margin.

Indian resident aged 18 or above with a PAN and an active bank account. NRIs can open NRE or NRO linked demat accounts (see FAQ).

Always needed

Needed for F&O and commodities, and for NRIs

All figures are for a standard Pocketful account. See complete pricing

Demat Account Charges on Pocketful

Safety: Your holdings stay with CDSL, a SEBI regulated depository, in your name. Pocketful cannot sell them without your authorisation.

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