How to Convert Demat to BSDA?
Recently, the Indian financial markets witnessed a staggering influx of new investors. With rising financial awareness in the country, the number of investors has been growing at a steady pace, which accelerated during the Covid-19 lockdown.
To invest in the stock markets, it is mandatory to have a Demat account, trading account and bank account. The entry barrier for new investors has been lowered with the facility to open a demat account. After simplified document verification, your Demat account will be opened online.
To reduce the cost of investment for small investors, SEBI introduced the Basic Services Demat Account in 2012. To understand how to convert a regular Demat account into a basic services account, one will have to get an idea of how a Demat account functions and the benefits of basic services Demat account.
Demat Account
Having a demat account is mandatory to trade or invest in the stock markets. The securities bought through the stock exchanges are held in the Demat account. When you decide to sell your holdings, the securities are transferred from your Demat account to that of the buyer’s.
There are various costs associated with investing and maintaining a Demat account. One of the costs is the Demat opening charge and the annual maintenance charge levied by stockbrokers. Though annual maintenance charges are gradually decreasing over the years, they could still be high for some small investors.
Basic Services Demat Account
To promote financial inclusion and level the playing field for small investors, the market regulator introduced the idea of a no-frills Demat account. A basic services Demat account is essentially a no-frills one with the annual maintenance charges varying according to the value of the holdings.
As per SEBI guidelines, no annual maintenance charges can be levied if the value of the holdings in the Demat account is less than Rs 50,000. If the holdings are between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh, an annual maintenance fee of Rs 100 can be charged. Above Rs 2 lakh, an annual maintenance fee higher than Rs 100 can be levied and the charge can be increased for larger holdings.
Convert Demat Account to BSDA?
In the initial phase of the rollout, investors had to send a request to the depository participant to convert a regular Demat account into a basic one. However, as per the latest norms, a regular Demat account is automatically converted into a basic services Demat account on the condition that the value of holdings is below the specified criteria. For the automatic conversion of the existing Demat account, you need to have a single Demat account.
Stockbrokers levy the annual maintenance charge depending on the highest value of the holdings during the year. If the value of the holding exceeds Rs 2 lakh anytime during the year, an annual maintenance charge higher than Rs 100 will be levied. One can enjoy the benefits of the BSDA only if the value of his/her holdings remains below Rs 2 lakh for a year. If the value exceeds the threshold, the basic services account is automatically converted into a regular Demat account.
Conclusion
The conversion of an existing Demat account to a basic service Demat account can reduce the overall cost of the investment considerably. Besides the cost, you should also focus on the services provided by the stockbroker and choose one that is suitable for you.