Have you ever wondered what a Demat account is and how to choose the best demat account? This article has got you covered. Gone are the days of the stock market physical share trading system. Technology has made life easy and nvestors can now have shares in an electronic format. But, they require a Demat account and a trading account.
A Demat account can hold many instruments such as debt securities, government bonds, Exchange-Traded Funds, mutual funds, and many others. According to the Securities and Exchange Board of India, investors intending to invest in the international stock market must set up a Demat account.
Therefore, investors cannot trade shares if they do not have a legitimate Demat account. But, choosing the best option requires some homework and precision planning. To open a Demat account, you must select a depository that allows you to trade in the share exchanges conveniently. Continue reading as we discuss how investors choose the best Demat account.
Simple account opening
The first step when choosing a demat account is the simplicity of the account opening. That means the account opening formality should be extremely simple for investors.
Securities and Exchange Board of India has directed a detailed process of opening a Demat account, and the Depository Participant must follow them.
Furthermore, SEBI has mandated every Depository Participant to provide investors with the Basic Services Demat Account. These provide limited and essential services at reduced costs to retail investors. It also gives an option of an online Demat account facility.\
AMC and brokerage charges
A Demat account comes with various charges. These include annual maintenance charges, brokerage charges, trading charges, and many more. So, it is essential to check the costs to ensure that the depository participant charges are fair and as per the industry standard. You can also compare the costs with similar service providers to choose the best.
Some DPs also provide zero annual maintenance charges to Demat accounts by waiving the AMC charges. Others provide you with no AMC charges for the first year or a lifetime offer of no AMC Demat account charges.
Good service standards
Choosing a DP is about the service standards and the customer orientation they provide. Therefore, ensure the Depository Participant you choose follows the SEBI regulations. Be careful of having a Demat account with a DP that has a lot of service level complaints pending with SEBI. That is not a good sign and shows a lack of attention to quality. So, ensure no regulatory investigations or inquiries are pending against the DP.
Service standard of the Depository Participant
Depository Participants must be judged based on the quality of the regular and ancillary services they provided. These include how long does it take to get your physical shares dematerialized? Do corporate actions get credited to your Demat account automatically? How efficiently does the DP deal with issues like a pledge, lien, and customer complaints, among others? Read about what other customers say about the Depository Participants.
Links account seamlessly
A seamless process between your bank account and broking account is crucial when choosing your demat account. Investors use mobile apps and the internet when investing and trading in equities on a day-to-day basis. These require a proper linkage of your bank account, demat account, and trading account. Investors use different options to link these together. They include 2-in-1 accounts and 3-in-1 accounts.
The 3-in-1 account links your bank account, Demat account, and trading account. The majority of banking institutions provide the 3-in-1 account. The 2-in-1 accounts link the trading and Demat account and use a seamless system to transfer money.
Software and user interface
Most brokers have an inbuilt app and software, which is downloadable. These apps help you stay updated about the recent trends in the stock market. However, you must check their reviews to know more about the broker. You also need to check their web-based application. Most importantly, the app must be easy to understand and use immediately in day trading.
In-depth data analysis
Data analytics provide an advantage when investors want to make decisions about choosing the best demat account. Today depository participants, financial institutions, banks, and others are out-spreading their services beyond the plain vanilla account statements. Depository Participants provide online data analytics.
These include real-time valuation, direct call to action requests for trading clients, analytics on demat inflow and outflow, thematic concentration, consolidated portfolio outputs and many more.
Financial analysis is also integrated with external factors that play a vital role in share performance. These include social and economic trends within the economy, volatility, consumer behaviour, preferences, etc.
Conclusion
There are a plethora of companies, banks, broking companies, and financial institutions that offer Demat accounts. But, this guide will help you make the right decision when considering choosing the best Demat account for you.
