Upstox has launched US stock investing on its platform, offering access to more than 8,000 US-listed stocks and over 2,000 ETFs
The launch expands Upstox’s wealth management play as leading domestic brokerages prepare to offer international investing through GIFT City
Users can begin investing with $1 through fractional investing and remit funds under the RBI’s LRS framework
Online stockbroking platform Upstox has launched US stock investing on its platform, weeks after receiving approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).
The offering will allow Indian investors to access more than 8,000 US-listed stocks and over 2,000 ETFs. This includes shares of companies such as Apple, Tesla, Amazon, and Google parent Alphabet.
Users can begin investing with as little as $1 through fractional investing, which allows them to purchase a portion of a share instead of an entire share.
The service will operate through the GIFT City framework. Global investment services will be provided by the IFSC branch of Upstox Securities Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of RKSV Securities India Pvt Ltd and an IFSCA-authorised broker-dealer.
Investments will be routed under the RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), which allows resident Indians to remit up to $250K per financial year across all permitted overseas transactions.
Upstox users can fund their accounts in ₹ through supported Indian bank accounts, with the amount converted into US dollars. The platform will also allow users to place after-market orders outside US trading hours, which will be queued for execution after the market opens.
“International investing represents the next significant phase of growth for India’s wealth ecosystem, and launching US stocks feels like a full-circle moment,” said Upstox cofounder and CEO Ravi Kumar.
The launch comes less than three months after Upstox, along with Zerodha, Groww, and Angel One, received IFSCA approvals to offer international investment products through GIFT City.
Upstox joins platforms such as INDmoney and HDFC Securities, which already enable Indian investors to access US-listed securities. Last week, the company received SEBI’s approval to operate as a merchant banker through its wholly owned subsidiary Zerodha Corporate Advisors Pvt Ltd, with initial focus being on equity IPOs.
Meanwhile, Upstox’s domestic broking rivals ZerodhaGroww, and Angel One are preparing their own international investment offerings after securing IFSCA approvals. Zerodha had begun working on a US stock investing product last year, but founder and CEO Nithin Kamath said its launch had been delayed by regulatory and remittance-related challenges.
The push towards global investing comes as Indian brokerages diversify beyond their core equity and derivatives businesses amid regulatory changes and pressure on transaction-linked revenue. Brokerages are expanding into areas such as asset management, lending, insurance, wealth management, and investment banking.
Last week, Zerodha received SEBI’s approval to operate as a merchant banker through its wholly owned subsidiary Zerodha Corporate Advisors. Groww, meanwhile, has been expanding across wealth managementlending, asset management, commodities, and global investing.
For Upstox, the launch comes as it explores a public market debut. The Tiger Global-backed company has reportedly begun preliminary discussions with investment banks for an IPO that could raise up to $400 Mn through a combination of fresh shares and an OFS.
Founded in 2009 by Ravi Kumar, Raghu Kumar, and Shrini Viswanath, Upstox offers products across equities, derivatives, mutual funds, IPOs, commodities, and insurance.