Zerodha, one of India's largest retail brokers, has made significant strides in promoting financial independence among women, according to recent statements from CEO Nithin Kamath. The company has reported a notable increase in the number of women actively managing their own demat accounts, highlighting a positive shift in female participation in the stock market.

Key Highlights

• Nearly 50.00% of Zerodha's female users now manage their demat accounts independently.
• Women represent about 30.00% of Zerodha's total customer base, up from 2.00-3.00% in 2014-15.
• The remaining 50.00% of women clients have their accounts managed by family members.

Growing Female Participation

Nithin Kamath, CEO of Zerodha, revealed that approximately half of the company's female users are now taking control of their financial futures by managing their own demat accounts. This marks a significant improvement in women's engagement with the stock market and financial instruments.

The growth in female participation is further evidenced by the increase in women customers on the Zerodha platform. Women now constitute about 30.00% of Zerodha's total customer base, a substantial rise from the mere 2.00-3.00% recorded in 2014-15.

Room for Improvement

While celebrating this progress, Kamath acknowledged that there is still significant room for improvement. A survey conducted by Zerodha showed that while half of their women clients manage their accounts independently, the other half rely on family members—including husbands, brothers, or children—to manage their accounts.

Promoting Financial Independence

Zerodha is actively working to encourage more women to take charge of their finances. The company has launched the 'In Her Interest' initiative, which aims to promote financial independence among women. Additionally, Zerodha is supporting other programs designed to empower women in managing their own finances.

As the landscape of retail investing continues to evolve in India, Zerodha's efforts to increase women's participation and independence in financial matters represent a positive step towards gender equality in the financial sector. The company's focus on educating and empowering women investors could potentially lead to a more diverse and inclusive investment community in the future.

Zerodha, one of India's leading discount brokers, has unveiled a new feature on its Kite platform, allowing resident individual investors to open a secondary demat account. This innovative offering aims to provide users with greater flexibility in managing their investment portfolios.

Key Features of the Secondary Demat Account

• Account Opening: Investors can now open an additional demat account using the same mobile number through Zerodha's Console platform.
• Portfolio Segregation: The feature enables users to separate long-term holdings from short-term trades, facilitating better organization of investments.
• Visibility: Securities held in the secondary account will not appear on the Kite trading app but will remain visible on the Console platform.
• Inter-Account Transfers: Investors can transfer shares between their primary and secondary accounts online.

Fees and Charges

Availability and Limitations

• The service is currently available only to resident individual accounts.
• NRIs, corporates, partnerships, and HUF accounts are not eligible for this feature at present.

Market Position and Strategy

Zerodha, serving nearly 8 million active users, holds the position of the second-largest broker by active users in India, following Groww. The introduction of the secondary demat account feature appears to be a strategic move aimed at:

1. Enhancing user engagement by offering more account management options.
2. Generating additional revenue through transfer fees and maintenance charges.
3. Providing a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving discount brokerage market.

This new offering by Zerodha demonstrates the company's commitment to innovation and meeting the diverse needs of individual investors. As the brokerage landscape in India continues to evolve, such features may become increasingly important for attracting and retaining customers in a highly competitive market.