Policy · Financial Services

Zerodha gets IFSCA nod for international stocks

By Startup Enthusiast · 16 June 2026

What they do

IFSCA approved Zerodha, Groww, Angel One, and Upstox to offer US and international stocks from GIFT City

The approval meets rising Indian retail demand for direct international market exposure and diversification

Zerodha has over 1.8 crore customers and handles about 15% of daily retail exchange volumes in India

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has approved Zerodha, Groww, Angel One, and Upstox to offer US and international stocks from GIFT City.
Zerodha and Upstox will operate as broker-dealers under the IFSCA framework, trading via international clearing partners like Interactive Brokers, ViewTrade International, and Alpaca Securities.
Groww and Angel One will work under the global access provider (GAP) framework.
ViewTrade already has GAP approval, while the models for Interactive Brokers and Alpaca Securities are yet to launch.
The launch of international investing features is expected in 2-3 months after completing tech, compliance, and testing.
The GAP model was introduced by IFSCA in August 2025 as a lower-cost regulated cross-border retail capital pipeline with zero withdrawal fees on repatriation.
The approval comes amid rising Indian retail demand for direct international market exposure, driven by the need to hedge domestic concentration and access global tech megatrends like AI and semiconductors.
The SpaceX $75 billion IPO triggered a 20-25% surge in US stock trading volumes on platforms, and Anthropic and OpenAI have filed for US IPOs later this year.

Indian retail investors increasingly seek direct international market exposure to diversify geographical risk and access global tech megatrends.
The Nasdaq index delivered over 40% returns last year, while Indian markets were muted due to a depreciating rupee.
Existing international investing options include INDmoney, Smallcase, and HDFC Securities via alternative routes.
The Dhan app introduced US stocks and ETFs for Indian investors earlier last week.

Zerodha is an online brokerage for stocks, IPOs, derivatives, mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds.
It is a discount broking pioneer with flat fees, free account opening, free equity delivery, and direct mutual funds.
It charges a flat ₹20 for intraday and F&O trades.
Zerodha has over 1.8 crore customers and manages about ₹9 lakh crores in equity investments.
It handles approximately 15% of daily retail exchange volumes in India.
The Zerodha ecosystem includes investments in 30+ fintech startups and products like Kite, Kite Connect APIs, Varsity (stock market education), and TradingQ&A community.

Zerodha plans to launch international investing features in 2-3 months after completing tech, compliance, and testing.
The company will operate as a broker-dealer under the IFSCA framework with international clearing partners.