A Beginner's Guide To Investing With Zerodha

Zerodha is a Bangalore-based fintech company that offers a wide range of services to its customers, including a Demat account, a trading platform, and research reports. The company, founded in 2010, has emerged as a game-changer in the Indian market, providing a digital platform for securely storing and managing securities. With Zerodha, investors can access the user-friendly trading platform Kite to place buy and sell orders and monitor market data. The platform offers brokerage-free equity delivery trades, direct mutual fund investments, and a flat fee of ₹20 per trade for intraday and F&O trades. In addition, Zerodha provides multiple platforms aimed at financial education, such as Varsity, LearnApp, and TradingQnA. To get started with investing using Zerodha, individuals need to open a Demat account and a trading account. The process can be completed online or offline, with the online method offering a quick and easy way to start investing in the stock market.

How to open a Zerodha Demat account online

To open a Zerodha Demat account online, you need to be a resident of India with a mobile number linked to your Aadhaar. The account opening process is straightforward and can be completed by following these steps:

Step 1: Gather the Required Documents

To open a Zerodha Demat account online, you will need to provide the following documents:

• A self-attested copy of your PAN card with your signature under "Applicant Signature".
• A scanned copy of your signature, made with a black or blue ballpoint or ink pen.
• Bank proof in your name, which can be a personalized cancelled cheque, a bank statement, or a bank passbook copy with your name, account number, bank logo, seal, MICR, and IFSC code clearly visible.
• Income proof (if you want to trade in F&O), such as a bank statement with a specific average balance, a salary slip, ITR acknowledgement, Form 16, a certificate of net worth, or a statement of demat holdings.

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

Visit the Zerodha website and follow the instructions to complete the online application form. Provide all the required information accurately and upload the necessary documents.

Step 3: E-Sign the Forms

As you complete the online application, you will be guided through the process of e-signing the trading and Demat account opening forms. Ensure that the name on your Aadhaar matches the name in your digital signature (e-sign), as any discrepancy will result in rejection.

Step 4: Wait for Account Activation

After submitting your application and e-signing the forms, Zerodha will process your account opening. You will receive your login credentials via email within 72 working hours. Your user ID will also be displayed immediately upon e-signing.

Step 5: Start Trading

Once your account is activated, you can download the Kite app by Zerodha or visit kite.zerodha.com to start trading and investing. You can also access a demo of Kite before you begin.

It's important to note that Zerodha does not provide tips, money management services, or advisory services. Additionally, physical documents are not required during the account opening process, as it is entirely online.

How to buy shares on Zerodha

To buy shares on Zerodha, you need to have a trading and Demat account with sufficient margins in your Zerodha trading account. You can open an account instantly online for free. You can purchase shares in Zerodha either through the Kite website or the Kite mobile app.

• Log in to the Kite website or mobile app.
• Add the desired shares to your watchlist.
• Click on the stock you wish to buy from the watchlist.
• Enter the following parameters to place the buy order:

• Product Type - CNC/MIS.
• Order Type - Market/Limit/Stop-loss(SL)/Stop loss market (SLM)
• Trigger Price in case of SL and SLM order type.
• Set Stoploss and target % in case of CNC order (optional)
• Order variety as applicable - Regular (RGLR)/Cover Order (CO)/AMO (After Market Order)
• Order Validity - Day/IOC.
• Disc Qty. (optional)

Click on "Buy" or "Swipe to Buy" to place the order.

How to add funds to your Zerodha account

To start investing using Zerodha, you will first need to add funds to your account. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

Using UPI

• Initiate a transfer from your registered bank account using UPI.
• Access the "Add Funds" interface on Zerodha's trading platform, Kite, to make the transfer.
• Transfers made through UPI are free and instant.

Using a Payment Gateway

• Click on "Funds" and then on "Add Funds" on the Kite platform.
• Enter the amount you wish to transfer.
• Select the segment (equity or commodity).
• Choose your primary or secondary bank.
• Select Netbanking and click "Continue".
• Authorise the transfer on your net banking portal.
• A window will appear with the transaction details and status.
• Payment gateway transfers come with a charge of ₹9 + 18% GST.

Using IMPS/NEFT/RTGS/Cheque

• Use IMPS, NEFT, or RTGS to transfer funds to your Zerodha account for free. However, bank charges may apply.
• You can also add funds to your Zerodha account using a cheque for free.

Please note that fund transfers are only accepted from linked bank accounts. You can link multiple bank accounts to your Zerodha account and view them by visiting console.zerodha.com/account/bank.

How to contact Zerodha support

Zerodha has a comprehensive support portal that contains a knowledge base of information, questions, and answers pertaining to all aspects of the platform, from account opening to trading. You can search for answers to your queries or browse through various help topics to find what you're looking for.

If you are unable to find an answer to your specific query, you can create a support ticket and track its progress from your dashboard. When creating a ticket, it's important to provide all the necessary information, such as order IDs or specific transactions, to ensure a quick resolution.

For further assistance, you can contact Zerodha's support desk by dialling 080 4718 1888 or 080 4718 1999. Clients are required to enter a support code to reach the support desk.

Additionally, Zerodha provides several educational platforms and resources to help new investors or traders, such as Varsity, LearnApp, TradingQnA, and Z-connect. These platforms offer educational content, discussion forums, and updates on Zerodha's products and services.

How to close your Zerodha account

To close your Zerodha account, you must first ensure that there is no negative balance, and that all holdings have been sold or transferred to another account. You can opt for a closure-cum-transfer, the standard operating procedure for which can be found on the Zerodha website. It is also important to download all necessary reports, such as contract notes, ledgers, and P&L statements, as these will not be accessible once the account is closed.

Once you have squared away all holdings, you can close your account online or offline.

Online:

• Log in to console.zerodha.com.
• Click on "Close account".
• Select the reason and enter additional feedback.
• Accept the terms and conditions and click on "Proceed to eSign".
• Tick the checkbox to authorise NSDL.
• Enter your Aadhaar number and click on "Send OTP".
• Enter the OTP and click on "Verify OTP".

Offline:

• Download the account closure form from the Zerodha website.
• Print the form and fill in the required details and reason for closure.
• Sign and send the form to the Zerodha Head Office:

Zerodha, 153/154, 4th Cross, J.P Nagar 4th Phase, Opp. Clarence Public School, Bengaluru - 560078

Additional Information:

• Joint account holders and minors without Kite access must create a ticket with the e-signed account closure form. For joint accounts, all account holders must sign the closure form. For minor accounts, the guardian must sign.
• Non-individual Zerodha accounts can only be closed offline. For corporate, One Person Company (OPC) and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) accounts, the closure form must be signed by the authorised signatory as per the board resolution.
• You will receive an email notification once your account has been closed.
• If you wish to temporarily stop trading, you can deactivate your account using the Kill Switch.

Frequently asked questions