A demat account is an Indian term for a dematerialized account that holds financial securities (equity or debt) digitally for traded shares in the share market. In India, demat accounts are maintained by two depository organizations: the National Securities Depository Limited and the Central Depository Services Limited.
A depository participant (DP), such as a bank, acts as an intermediary between the investor and the depository. In India, a DP is described as an agent of the depository. The relationship between the DPs and the depository is governed by an agreement made between the two under the Depositories Act. The demat account number is quoted for all transactions to enable electronic settlements of trades to take place. Access to the dematerialized account requires an internet password and a transaction password which allows the transfers or purchases of securities.
A security is a tradable financial asset; the term commonly refers to any form of a financial instrument, but its legal definition varies by jurisdiction. Purchases and sales of securities on the demat account are automatically made once transactions are confirmed and completed.
There are three types of demat accounts offered by depository participants: [1]
There are four major charges usually levied on a demat account: account opening fee, annual maintenance fee, custodian fee and transaction fee. Charges for all fees vary by depository participant.
Opening a demat account requires providing documents that fulfill the requirements of Know Your Customer rules. [4]
A debit card, also known as a check card or bank card, is a payment card that can be used in place of cash to make purchases. The card usually consists of the bank's name, a card number, the cardholder's name, and an expiration date, on either the front or the back. Many new cards now have a chip on them, which allows people to use their card by touch (contactless), or by inserting the card and keying in a PIN as with swiping the magnetic stripe. Debit cards are similar to a credit card, but the money for the purchase must be in the cardholder's bank account at the time of the purchase and is immediately transferred directly from that account to the merchant's account to pay for the purchase.
A transaction account, also called a checking account, chequing account, current account, demand deposit account, or share account at credit unions, is a deposit account or bank account held at a bank or other financial institution. It is available to the account owner "on demand" and is available for frequent and immediate access by the account owner or to others as the account owner may direct. Access may be in a variety of ways, such as cash withdrawals, use of debit cards, cheques and electronic transfer. In economic terms, the funds held in a transaction account are regarded as liquid funds. In accounting terms, they are considered as cash.
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In banking and finance, clearing refers to all activities from the time a commitment is made for a transaction until it is settled. This process turns the promise of payment into the actual movement of money from one account to another. Clearing houses were formed to facilitate such transactions among banks.
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In finance, securities lending or stock lending refers to the lending of securities by one party to another.
A custodian bank, or simply custodian, is a specialized financial institution responsible for providing securities services. It provides post-trade services and solutions for asset owners, asset managers, banks and broker-dealers. It is not engaged in "traditional" commercial or consumer/retail banking like lending.
Inter-connected Stock Exchange Ltd. (ISE) is an Indian national-level stock exchange. under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It is responsible for providing trading, clearing, settlement, risk management and surveillance support to its trading members. It started its operation in 1998 in Vashi, Mumbai, and has 841 trading members, who are located in 18 cities. These intermediaries are administratively supported through the regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Patna, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore and Nagpur, besides Mumbai.
The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) is an Act of the Parliament of India "to consolidate and amend the law relating to foreign exchange with the objective of facilitating external trade and payments and for promoting the orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India". It was passed on 29 December 1999 in parliament, replacing the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). This act makes offences related to foreign exchange civil offenses. It extends to the whole of India, replacing FERA, which had become incompatible with the pro-liberalization policies of the Government of India. It enabled a new foreign exchange management regime consistent with the emerging framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also paved the way for the introduction of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, which came into effect on 1 July 2005.
In India, a Depository Participant (DP) is described as an Agent of the depository. They are the intermediaries between the depository and the investors. The relationship between the DPs and the depository is governed by an agreement made between the two under the Depositories Act. In a strictly legal sense, a DP is an entity who is registered as such with SEBI under the sub section 1A of Section 12 of the SEBI Act. As per the provisions of this Act, a DP can offer depository-related services only after obtaining a certificate of registration from SEBI. As of 2012, there were 288 DPs of NSDL and 563 DPs of CDSL registered with SEBI.
Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala.
ATM usage fees are what many banks and interbank networks charge for the use of their automated teller machines (ATMs). In some cases, these fees are assessed solely for non-members of the bank; in other cases, they apply to all users. There is usually a higher fee for the use of White-label ATMs rather than bank-owned ATMs.
A credit card is a payment card, usually issued by a bank, allowing its users to purchase goods or services, or withdraw cash, on credit. Using the card thus accrues debt that has to be repaid later. Credit cards are one of the most widely used forms of payment across the world.
The United Stock Exchange of India (USE) is an Indian government owned stock exchange. It is the 4th pan India exchange launched for trading financial instruments in India. USE represents the commitment of 21 Indian public sector banks, private banks, international banks and corporate houses to build an institution of repute.
Central Depository Services (India) Ltd. (CDSL) is an Indian central securities depository, founded in 1999.
Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL) is an Indian custodian and depository participant, based in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. SHCIL was established in 1986 as a public limited company and is a subsidiary of IFCI. StockHolding became a subsidiary of IFCI Limited on April 7, 2015, which is a Government Company. Being a subsidiary of a Government Company, StockHolding and its subsidiaries are also Government Companies. It is also responsible for e-stamping system around India. It is also authorised by Reserve Bank of India as Agency Bank to distribute and receive Govt. of India savings/relief bond 2003 along with nationalized banks.
In finance and financial law, dematerialization refers to the substitution of paper-form securities by book-entry securities. This is a form of indirect holding system in which an intermediary, such as a broker or central securities depository, or the issuer holds a record of the ownership of shares usually in electronic format. The dematerialization of securities such as stocks has been a major trend since the late 1960s, with the result that by 2010 the majority of global securities were held in dematerialized form electronically.
Karvy Group is a financial services company in India. It was involved in financial services like equity, commodities trading, depository and wealth services and distribution of other financial products. It has its headquarters in Hyderabad. It also had branch offices outside India in Bahrain, Dubai, Malaysia, Philippines and the United States.