Zerodha RBI Retail Direct Bonds

RBI Retail Direct vs Zerodha bonds

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RBI Retail Direct vs Zerodha bonds: choosing between direct RBI access and broker-mediated access.

FeatureRBI Retail DirectZerodha bonds
CoverageG-Sec, T-Bill, SDL, SGBG-Sec, T-Bill, SDL, SGB, corporate bonds, tax-free, NCDs, 54EC
BrokerageZeroZero (primary), ~equity for secondary
KYCDirect via RBI KuberExisting Zerodha KYC
DematRBI Retail Direct Gilt AccountCDSL via Zerodha
User experienceGovernment portal (basic)Modern broker app
Trading limitsSameSame (per RBI rules)
NRI supportYes (NRO/NRE)Limited
Secondary marketLimitedYes (Kite)

When to use which

RBI Retail Direct:

  • You want direct RBI account without broker.
  • Government-only securities; no corporate bonds.
  • Lowest cost (no broker layer).

Zerodha bonds:

  • You already have Zerodha account.
  • Want corporate bonds, tax-free, 54EC in addition to G-Sec.
  • Better UX and Console integration.

For pure G-Sec / SGB / T-Bill, both are equivalent in terms of returns. Zerodha adds secondary market access and broader product coverage.

See also

External references

References

  1. RBI, Retail Direct scheme, rbiretaildirect.org.in.
  2. Zerodha, Bonds platform, zerodha.com/bonds/.

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The WebNotes Editorial Team covers Indian capital markets, payments infrastructure and retail investor procedures. Every article is fact-checked against primary sources, principally SEBI circulars and master directions, NPCI specifications and the official support documentation published by the intermediary in question. Drafts go through a second-pair-of-eyes review and a separate compliance read before publication, and revisions are tracked against the SEBI and NPCI rule changes referenced in the methodology section.

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