How to Open a Demat Account in India: A Step-by-Step Guide

A demat account holds your shares in electronic form, while a trading account is what you use to place buy and sell orders on the exchanges. Most Indian brokers open both together in a single online journey.

You will typically need proof of identity, proof of address, a bank proof such as a cancelled cheque or statement, a signature specimen and an in-person verification step done over video. Fully digital onboarding usually completes within one working day.

Compare the account opening fee, annual maintenance charge and depository participant charges before you apply. A broker that looks cheap on brokerage can still cost more once AMC and DP charges are added.

Never share OTPs, trading passwords or banking credentials with anyone, including people claiming to represent a broker.