Discount broker Dhan has introduced a new product allowing investors in India to directly trade US stocks, according to a report by Moneycontrol.
Dhan is the first to launch a fully India-regulated offering, although smaller incumbents have already captured some market attention. The company is among the top ten discount brokers by user base.
The company positions itself as entirely compliant with Indian regulations, covering trading, custody, and reporting.
Unlike most brokerages, which hold US stocks through a US-based depository under SEC, FINRA, and SIPC oversight, Dhan’s platform operates entirely under Indian regulatory frameworks.
The service is structured through Raise IFSC, Dhan’s GIFT City subsidiary, in partnership with India INX, ViewTrade, and GlomoPay. The platform is IFSCA-regulated, enjoys India INX membership, and adheres to RBI and FEMA guidelines for custody and reporting.
Founder Pravin Jadhav emphasized that the product was designed with investor protection in mind, Moneycontrol reported. By running through India INX, the platform benefits from exchange-level safeguards and a grievance-redressal mechanism, all within the IFSCA-GIFT City framework.
Jadhav noted that these choices were deliberate, aimed at ensuring retail investors have a secure and regulated path for overseas investing.
The product targets Dhan’s existing user base of over one million investors, offering a portfolio diversification tool. Direct investing in US equities provides flexibility that international mutual funds often lack, allowing users to select individual stocks and ETFs.
At launch, the platform provides access to more than 7,000 US-listed securities, charging a brokerage fee of 0.25% per trade without custody charges, in line with prevailing industry rates.
While the initial focus is on the US market, Dhan plans to expand globally as India INX broadens its international offerings.
Jadhav said the infrastructure is already in place to add new markets and securities as the platform grows, positioning Dhan as a regulated gateway for Indian investors seeking direct access to international equities.
