Finance

Those freelancers, online business owners, bloggers, and all the people who offer services or sell goods online might have thought at some point in their lives about how to get international payments for selling goods and services in other countries. A simple solution to this is Wise, a digital banking system created for global users who want to send and get paid in international currencies quickly. Wise has been in the business for more than a decade now, and a lot of people might be looking for genuine Wise reviews online to decide whether to use it or not. So, in this blog post, I will be sharing my personal experience and detailed review of Wise, highlighting both the pros, cons, and some features of the Wise account. At the end of the blog post, you will surely get a detailed overview of Wise and a good understanding of whether to use it or not. What is Wise? What is Wise? In simple terms, Wise is a global financial technology platform that helps individuals and businesses send, receive, and manage money across borders with lower fees and transparent exchange rates. Founded in 2011, Wise was created to solve one major problem: expensive and slow international money transfers. Unlike traditional banks, Wise uses the real mid-market exchange rate and charges a small upfront fee, making it a cost-effective option for freelancers, businesses, and international users. With a Wise account, you can hold multiple currencies, transfer money globally, and receive payments from different countries in a simpler way. Over the years, Wise has grown rapidly, serving millions of users worldwide and processing billions in cross-border transactions. In this guide, we’ll break down how Wise works and whether it’s the right choice for you. Why I Prefer Wise Over PayPal? Now I will be sharing my personal review of Wise and listing some of the points why I love Wise over PayPal and many other payment platforms globally. 1. Wise Has Chat Support One of the best things that I loved about Wise is their live chat support with a real agent, which PayPal does not have. The chat support of Wise is quick, fast, and very responsive in solving all the doubts and issues related to accounts, sending money, holding money, getting paid, or anything else related at the account level. Such live chat support makes it easier for Wise users to solve all the issues regarding their accounts. Their chat support team is extremely knowledgeable and goes the extra mile to solve the user’s queries. Although there is a waiting period since a lot of people are in the queue, it usually does not take longer than 5 minutes. Until and unless your issue is resolved by the team, the chat window does not close. This is the major reason why I prefer Wise over PayPal. 2. Account Creation Is Simple Another reason to choose Wise over PayPal is the easy account creation process. For a personal account, you just need to visit the Wise website, enter your basic information, link your bank account, and your account will be created. For a business account, you need to submit your government ID, link a bank account, verify your phone number, complete your video KYC, and your Wise business account will be live in 2 days. On the other hand, creating a personal and business account on PayPal is a tough and daunting task. Both types of accounts need video KYC to be done, and then the PayPal team reviews it for 2-3 days. Within 2-3 days, if everything is good, your account will be approved for use. However, if the PayPal system finds that your account is using the same details, such as email, government ID, bank account, or phone number, they may simply deactivate your account, and you won’t be able to create a PayPal account again. 3. Account Does Not Get Restricted Like PayPal Once you have created your Wise account, it will not get banned or restricted forever. I have been using my Wise account smoothly for the past two years and receiving all the payments without issues. With PayPal, it is the worst case. PayPal can restrict or ban your account for life anytime and without any reason. A lot of PayPal accounts have been getting permanently banned recently. In fact, I have also written a detailed blog post on why PayPal is a scam. Even 2-3 of my PayPal accounts have been deactivated for life, and when I asked the PayPal support team, they mentioned that I wouldn’t be able to use PayPal again in my life. This is not only happening with me, but also with many other people who have been using PayPal accounts for more than a decade. You can read this Reddit post and know more about the PayPal issue. 4.Quick Response From Support Team In this entire Wise review blog post, the best thing is the Wise customer support team and their response time to the queries of every user. First of all, you will have multiple options to connect with Wise support, like chat, call, and email. I personally prefer live chat as it is a fast and quick way to connect with their team. In the case of PayPal, you will only have email, phone, and the resolution center, which is the worst of all. None of PayPal’s customer support systems are reliable and efficient. Wise live chat support is very quick, and you will be connected with a live agent in less than a minute. This is surely a blessing in disguise for anyone who is new to Wise and has created an account for the first time. Also, they respond very quickly and make sure that your issue is solved. 5. Fingerprint Login With a Wise account, you can also set up biometric login, which adds an extra layer of security to your Wise account. Currently, this feature is only applicable to the Wise app on Apple … Read more

We dont have any personal grudges against PayPal, but my personal experince with PayPal and based on the opinion of many of my colleagues, friends and family, we are writing this blog post that will highlight why PayPal is a scam and why you should avoid using it.  Is PayPal a scam? Yes, PayPal is a big-time scam, and we will tell you why. It might not be a scam for the users who are using it from the USA and European countries, but for users from Asian countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, PayPal is a big-time scam.  Recently, one of my PayPal account to permanently restricted by the PayPal team without any reason. The account has been flagged off. I was using this PayPal account for 2 years, and then suddenly I got the following message on my account.  Based on this email, I tried contacting the PayPal team via phone, social media and thought their resolution centre. Their entire customer support is listless, and they won’t even entertain you properly. I was asked about a few documents, details about my transaction and my personal government ID, which I submitted rightfully to PayPal.  Even after verification, they permanently decided to restrict my account and keep my funds on hold for 180 days.  I tried creating a new PayPal account from my other email ID, but the result was the same. Each time I tried creating a new PayPal account, it was getting permanently restricted.  I did a bit of research on social media and found that this is not only happening with me but with many of my colleagues, friends and other users who are based in India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other Asian regions.  Is there a scam going around PayPal? Yes, there is a scam going around PayPal, and PayPal is cheating users from India and other Asian countries like Pakistan.  I am sharing some of the screenshots which will prove that PayPal is a scam company and you should never be using it.  —————————————————————————————— ——————————————————————————————- ———————————————————————————————— This is really a wakeup call for everyone who are using PayPal. I personally think it is time to switch to Wise or Payoneer for smooth and easy transfer for funds from other country to your domestic bank account.  Based on my research, I personally found that PayPal has restricted the accounts of users not only from India but from other European countries too. You can check the above screenshots for the proves.  Why PayPal is a scam, and you should never use it? 1.They will never tell you real reason for account deactivation One of the major frustrations with PayPal scams is that they will never tell why the reason for your account getting restricted, either permanently or temporarily.  They will just inform you by email that your account is getting restricted for life and you will no longer be able to use it.  Even if you try reaching out to their team from the resolution centre or via call, they will not respond. And if they respond, they will say  “Our decision is final and your account will stay permanently deactivated” The nail in the coffin is: You cannot even delete your account once it is deactivated for life or on a temporary basis. Your funds will be locked in and your critical bank information or card details will be kept with PayPal for life. You cannot even remove your bank or card details from your account once it is deactivated. That is the reason why I am not recommending anyone to use PayPal from now. Start looking out for some options like Wise or Payoneer. 2. Pethetic customer support The customer support for PayPal is the worst. First of all, they don’t have any live chat support like Wise. Secondly, their resolution centre works very slowly and takes 2-3 days to respond to any query or case created by the account holder. On top of that, they will not give you any valid reason or explanation regarding your account being banned or restricted.  Although they have a customer support phone number, which is toll-free. However, the call support is outsourced to third-party BPO companies, and you cannot expect to get a perfect solution from them.  If something happens to your account, then you are on your own. Don’t expect PayPal’s support team to help you out.  3. Too many delays in response Reaching out to PayPal’s customer support team can be a daunting and frustrating task. Even if you reach out to them via email, chat or call, their replies are slow, especially when it comes to dealing with account restriction-related issues.  After you raise a ticket via the resolution centre, it will take 3-4 days to get an initial response. If your account is restricted on a temporary basis, their team will ask for 3-4 documents like government id, proof of goods sold, receipts from the supplier, transaction details and how your business works.  Even if you submit all the documents carefully, their team takes 3 days to review everything. And when the final decision is taken, it won’t be in your favour.  This extended back and forth can be frustrating for users who rely only on PayPal for getting their funds. Overall, the experince is very bad with PayPal, and the company really needs to pull up its socks. 4. Payment is kept on hold for 180 days Another scam by PayPal is the holding of funds for 180 days and charging a fee if your account is permanently deactivated. This has happened to me twice and the experince was really frustrating. I discussed the same issue with many of my colleagues, and they all faced the same issue.  This mostly happens due to not following PayPal’s guidelines or some policy-related concern. However, I feel this is a scam by PayPal. First of all, PayPal will never tell you why they are holding the funds for such a long time or the reason … Read more

Are you looking to create your Wise account? If yes, then you have come to the right spot. If you want to send or receive money internationally with low fees, learning how to create a Wise account is a good place to start. Wise a popular platfrom which acts as an international bank, allowing users to get virtual international bank accounts in 100+ countries.  It is known for its transparency, fast and global transfers. Setting up a Wise account takes only a few minutes, and we will discover how in this blog post.  Apart from how to create a Wise account, you will also discover some of the basic questions which people ask when to want to make an account on Wise. So, here’s a step-by-step guide on Wise account creation. How to create and open a Wise account? 1. Head over to Wise website The very first step in the process of Wise account creation is to head over to the official website of Wise and click on Sign up in minutes. If you are not using a web application, then you can also download the Wise app on an Android or an iPhone device and get started in the same way.  You can sign up on Wise either by using your Gmail account or by creating your own password and login credentials with your respective email service provider.  If you try to sign up with Gmail, then make sure you give all access to Wise.  Now click on continue.  2. Select the account type Once you have signed up for Wise, now you will be asked to choose a betweent Wise personal or a Wise business account.  Wise personal account: The Wise personal account is best suited for an individual, freelancer, or solo businessman who wants to send, spend, or receive money internationally.  The personal account can hold 40+ currencies with conversion made at the mid-market exchange rate. Account holder can also get a multi-currency card which can be used to spend in different currencies and 140+ countries.  Wise business account: The Wise business account is for those who are running a business or company and want to get paid or send money abroad in multiple currencies.  Conversion in the Wise business account takes place at the mid-market exchange rate.  With a business account, you can get employee expense cards, a multi-currency card to run your business, oranize funds, cut costs and get paid on time.  Once you have selected which type of Wise account you want to create, then you need to set up your location.  Enter the country in which you are residing. Once you enter your country, you will come to know what are the features that Wise account for personal usage allows in your country.  In the above image, you can see Wise is not allowing us to avail the revice the payment feature on the personal account level. In this case, you can try to change and convert your personal account to a business account.  Or, if you only want to send or spend the money, you can proceed.  3.Two-factor verification  Once you have decided to proceed, you have to set up two-factor authentication by verifying your phone number.  Now enter your phone number and the six-digit code that you will receive.  You can also try another way by email if you wish. 4. Password set up After the phone number verification, you need to set up your password.  5. Complete basic information  After you are done creating your password, you need to fill your profile by sharing basic information about yourself. Make sure you provide all the information correctly, especially your phone number, country, name, middle name, last name and year of birth as it is mentioned in one of your government ID cards, which you will be submitting on Wise for verification.  Remember, your personal details should match on your Wise account and government ID.  In the next step, you need to enter your home address.  Make sure to enter it correctly as mentioned in your government ID for verification.  6. Congratulations, your Wise account is created Your Wise account has now been created. However, this is only the Wise personal account by which you can send money. You cannot receive money in a Wise personal account (in some countries).  How to create a Wise business account to get payments? Now that you have come to know how to create Wise account for personal purposes, let us now understand and learn how to set up Wise business account in a step-by-step format.  Creating a Wise business account is more or less the same as a Wise personal account. While selecting the type of account, you need to opt for the Wise business account.  You can also convert your Wise personal account to a business account by heading over to your profile settings. Click on ” Open a business account and enter the country in which you are living.  Now, select the type of business and move next. Now enter your business details carefully, save and continue.  Now, enter your business address, postal and other details, then save and continue.  Now choose your busines industry, save and continue.  Now you have entered the business overview and give a short introduction about your business. Make it very relevant, transparent and honest. Write at least 100 words.  In this step, you have to mention your business website. If you have one, share the link; if you don’t have move to the next step. Confirm your trading address. And jump to the next step. Select a few currencies in which you want to get paid. Select 4 currencies like the USA, GBP, Euro or CAD and move to the next step.  Now you will be redirected to the most important page where you need to do the verification of your business account.  This is the last and final step of Wise account creation for business purposes. In this step, you need to link your … Read more

Sending and receiving payments internationally was a daunting task until the inception of Wise. Wise is a global technology company that allows everyone to get international bank accounts digitally without any hassle. The technology is so good that it makes people question whether Wise is safe. To answer this question, we have curated this detailed blog post on whether the Wise app is safe and legit to use or not. At the end of the blog post, you will surely come to know whether you should be using Wise for money transfer and receiving money or not. So, without wasting any time, let’s get started with the blog post. Is Wise safe? Yes, Wise is safe to use, and it is 100% legitimate. We have been personally using Wise for more than 5 years now for sending and receiving payments from various international countries. Wise makes the process of sending and receiving money internationally smooth and quick. But the real question is, is Wise safe? One of the biggest reasons for Wise’s safety is its regulatory compliance with all the countries to which it offers services, including the FCA in the UK and RBI in India. It follows all the strict rules to protect users’ funds. In fact, Wise not only keeps users’ funds safe, it also keeps their personal and other important financial data safe and secure. Currently, Wise is being used by millions of customers globally, handling billions in transactions every month. And in such cases, it follows extra precautions to keep up with the safety norms of every country in which it is offering its services. Millions of users have been using the Wise application safely for years, and they have not yet faced any issues with regard to sending and receiving payments. Here’s what a Reddit user says about Wise’s safety: From a technical point of view, Wise safety features include website and web app encryption, two-factor authentication, and a fraud monitoring system, which keeps users’ accounts, money, and all transactions safe and protected. Is the Wise application safe? If you are asking if the Wise app is safe or not, the answer is yes. The Wise application is secure and well protected to offer a seamless mobile experience for sending and receiving money internationally. The application is backed with multiple layers of protection, making it a trusted choice for millions of users globally. When it comes to Wise app safety and security, the application uses a strong encryption system to protect data and other personal information. First of all, the strong regulation of the Wise app makes it safe. For example, it is licensed and supervised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in the US, the National Bank of Belgium, and the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority in Europe. By following all the regulatory compliance of the relevant financial authorities, the Wise app justifies its safety. As a financial app, Wise is also obliged to safeguard its clients’ money in top-tier banks like JPMorgan Chase in the USA and Deutsche Bank in Europe, and other top-rated banks of various countries. This serves as insurance that the Wise app is not using customers’ money for its own operations. Apart from all these, two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of safety to the Wise app. This measure requires users to enter their password along with an additional code they will get on their registered email or phone number. Users can also get push notifications to allow access to the Wise account. There is no option to link the Wise app with third-party app authentication, like Google or Microsoft, and get a code from there. So, the Wise app offers ultimate safety, even if users’ passwords are compromised or leaked. Overall, the Wise app is safe. Is Wise safe to transfer and send money? Yes, Wise is safe to send money internationally to any bank account within a few clicks. Currently, there are 80+ countries and 50+ currencies in which you can make payments. In order to send money through Wise, you need to set up your account first and get it verified. Once your account is verified, you can start sending money online through the website or via the Wise app. Lots of Wise payments arrive within a few minutes, and 90% arrive within 24 hours, except on bank holidays in the recipient’s country and on weekends. Also, every payment sent on the Wise platform is protected by HTTPS encryption and two-step verification. Wise also has a team of 1,000+ anti-fraud specialists who monitor the platform day and night to detect any scam, fraud, or suspicious activity. While Wise is safe to send money, it is also important for you to understand the difference between an EMI and a bank. When you send or receive money via Wise, your money is safeguarded rather than insured. For example, in the UK, your funds are not covered by the FSCS, which covers up to €85,000 in banks. Instead, Wise protects 100% of your money by keeping it separate and liquid, as noted by Forbes Advisor. Overall, Wise is safe to send money. Is Wise safe to receive money? Yes, Wise is 100% safe and legit to receive money internationally from more than 80+ countries and in over 50+ currencies. We have been receiving payments from our international clients for more than 5 years through Wise, and it has been working like a charm for us. We have personally found Wise better than PayPal and Payoneer, where scams, account deactivation, and other thefts are common. Whenever you get funds in your Wise account, you can either keep them or set up an automatic transfer to your local bank account. If you feel keeping money in a Wise account is not safe, then you are wrong. Wise will keep your money safe by safeguarding it. Whenever you hold funds in Wise, it deposits the money in leading commercial banks or holds it as … Read more

Are you looking to invest your saved money in the Indian stock market? Do you want to buy shares in listed companies? But you don’t know which application would be great to start your journey. Then, I recommend you choose the 5paisa application, which I have been using for long-term investment in stocks and mutual funds.  If you are wondering what 5paisa is and how it works, then this blog post has got you covered. 5Paisa is undoubtedly India’s top trading and investing app, the only listed application on the NSE and BSE, which sets it apart from its competitors like Zerodha, Groww, Upstox, and many more. This is going to be an interesting guide post, so make sure to grab a cup of coffee or tea (whichever you prefer), sit back, put your phone on DND so no one can disturb you, and enjoy the blog post to learn more about 5paisa. What is 5Paisa? 5paisa is a leading online stockbroking company that offers discount brokerage for those who wish to invest in the stock market. It is a publicly traded and professionally managed company, promoted by Mr. Prem Watsa (founder, chairman, and chief executive of Fairfax India Holdings) and Mr. Nirmal Jain (founder of IIFL), who are the major stakeholders. 5paisa offers online trading in equity, commodities, and currency on BSE, NSE, and MCX. It operates as a flat-rate discount stockbroker. Among the rare discount brokers in India, 5paisa offers trading for a flat fee of just Rs. 10 per trade. 5paisa offers three subscription plans for retail investors: the Regular Account Pack, the Power Investor Pack, and the Ultra Trader Pack. These plans offer various benefits, ranging from zero account opening charges to reducing the flat fee from Rs. 20 to Rs. 10. There are also 5paisa Mutual Funds, which offer both regular and direct mutual funds. For mutual funds, it charges a flat fee of Rs 10 per executed order for online mutual fund investment. Investors can choose to invest either in a lump sum or through an SIP. Users can also open their demat account through 5paisa’s depository participant membership with CDSL. CDSL awarded it the status of Premier Depository Participant in March 2019. The 5paisa trading platform comprises a mobile trading app, a trading website, and an installable trading terminal. These platforms, recognized for their excellent utilization of mobile technology in financial services, are built using the latest technology. 5paisa Plans, Fees, and Charges? 5paisa charges Rs20 brokerage for all stock delivery. For trading, 5paisa offers three plans: regular, power investor, and ultra-trader. 5paisa brokerage charges for all three plans are as follows: 5paisa plan charges Regular Plan: The Regular Plan charges a flat fee of Rs. 20 for all trading segments. Power Investor Plan: Among 5paisa’s different plans, the Power Investor plan is the most popular and highly purchased. The subscription fee for Power Investor is Rs. 599 per month, with a flat brokerage fee of Rs. 10 for all trading segments. Additionally, this plan provides the following benefits: A. It provides stock ideas for intraday and short-term trading. B. It includes the Advanced Portfolio Analyzer. C. It offers research on 4000+ companies. Ultra Trader Plans: The monthly fee for this plan starts at Rs. 1199. This plan offers various benefits to users, such as: A. Equity delivery incurs no fee. B. A flat fee of Rs. 10 per order (50% discount) is charged from the 101st trade onwards for all other segments. C. The first 100 trades are free every month. D. There are no charges for fund transfers. F. There are no charges for calls and trades (a charge of Rs. 100 is applicable for normal clients). 5paisa Account Types 5paisa offers various types of accounts to meet the different needs of users. Below, you will find a brief introduction to each account: 1. Demant Account 2. Trading Account 3. Mutual Funds Account 4. YoungVestor Account 5. PlusOne Account 1. 5paisa Demant Account 5paisa allows you to open a free Demat account through www.5paisa.com or the 5paisa Trading App. It is an electronic account used for holding and transacting securities (stocks, MFs, ETFs, IPOs, GSECs, bonds, etc.) in electronic or dematerialized form. Through this Demat account, you can easily transfer your securities from one Demat account to another. The 5paisa Demat account is suitable for all kinds of users, including individuals, companies, partnerships, trusts, HUFs, or LLPs (Limited Liability Partnerships). 2. 5paisa Trading Account 5paisa trading account facilitates stock buying, selling, money transfers, and more. They act as a crucial bridge between investors and the stock exchange. In the stock market, these accounts are linked to demat accounts, allowing seamless fund transfers between individuals. 5paisa offers three simple brokerage plans for trading accounts: Optimum, Platinum, and Titanium. Optimum Plan: Trade across various segments for a flat fee of Rs. 20 per order. The Optimum plan monthly charges are none. Platinum Plan: Enjoy a flat fee of Rs. 10 per order for all your trading needs. The Platinum plan monthly charges are 499 rupees. Titanium Plan: Trade equities for free—that’s right, no charges for buying or selling stocks. The Titanium plan monthly charges are 999 rupees.  3. 5paisa Mutual Funds Account Opening a mutual fund account on 5paisa online can be a good move for both retail and large investors. You can easily open a mutual fund account on 5paisa. 5paisa offers two investment plans: systematic investment plans (SIPs) and lump sum investments. They also provide various mutual fund schemes across different categories, such as equity, hybrid, and debt, in small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap options. 4. 5paisa YoungVestor Account The YoungVestor account is designed for young individuals eager to invest in the stock market at a young age. Any individual aged between 18 and 23 years old can apply for it and gain access to the stock market trading platform. 5. 5paisa PlusOne Account The 5paisa PlusOne Account is a special account designed for married couples. You can easily open a … Read more

Introduction  The Indian stock market has been booming since the post-pandemic era, and Zerodha has played an important role in the growth of the Indian stock market by creating a hassle-free solution to trade and invest in the share market with less brokerage. Headquartered in Bangaluru, Zerodha is an Indian stock trading app and financial service company that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India and a member of prominent stock exchanges in India like the NSE and BSE. So, if you are a trader or investor, then you must be aware of what Zerodha is and how it works. However, have you ever thought about the success story of Zerodha or how it became a billion-dollar company without raising a single round of funding or burning millions of dollars on advertising?  In today’s blog post, I will walk you through the Zerodha case study and some of the strategies that have helped them become a billion-dollar brand.  Overview of Zerodha The name Zerodha has been derived from the Sanskrit word Rodha, which means barrier in Sanskrit. And zero is just a number. So Zerodha means zero barriers to the people who are looking to invest. The company was founded by two brothers with a knack for trading and investing in the stock market, namely Nithin and Nikhil Kamath, on August 15, 2010. Since then, they have disrupted the Indian trading market with low-cost pricing, flat-fee brokerage, and zero brokerage on investment in mutual funds. Today, Zerodha contributes 5% of daily market turnover across various stock exchanges in India, making it the biggest and most used stock trading app in India.  Zerodha is a completely bootstrapped startup, meaning they don’t have any backing or raised funding. Today, they are valued at $2 billion and have clocked Rs 1000 crore in revenue with a profit of 440 crore rupees. That’s truly insane. There are several factors that led to their exponential growth in the Indian financial market. One of them is that they treat all clients with the same deal, and their brokerage calculator is completely transparent, making them different from their competitors. Zerodha’s Membership Information: Zerodha NSE Member ID:Capital Market (CM): INB231390627 Future & Options (F&O): INF231390627 Currency Derivatives (CDS): INE231390627 Zerodha BSE Member ID:Capital Market (CM) – INB011390623Future & Options (F&O) – INF011390623 CDSL: IN-DP-CDSL-00278209 NSDL: IN-DP-NSDL-11496000 Zerodha NSE Registration Date: June 30, 2010 Zerodha BSE Registration Date: May 17, 2012 Background on Zerodha The story started in 2005, when Nithin Kamath was a full-time trader and one HNI was impressed with his trading skills and portfolio. The HNI immediately wrote a check for Rs. 25 lakh and told Nithing to manage his demate account. Later on, Nithin left his job and stated that he was managing clients on a full-time basis and helping them with their investments in the stock market. This was the time when Nithin realized there was no single platform where he could switch different accounts seamlessly. To cope with this problem, Nithing joined Reliance Money as a sub-broker, which allowed him to buy and sell stocks on one single platform. Over all these years, Nithin realized there was a huge gap between the commission charged by the brokers and the actual amount clients received after every trade. He also realized that many young people in India are interested in investing in the stock market, but they aren’t able to find one single platform for investing in the share market. That’s because of high brokerage charges and complex trading processes.  So, after working for almost more than 10 years in trading and the stock market, Nithin decides to become a broker himself. And not just an ordinary broker, but the one who decided to revolutionize the broking industry in India. Nithin, along with his brother Nikhil, who was a better trader, decided to start Zerodha.  The reason to start Zerodha was simple: to create a seamless trading platform at an affordable rate by charging a flat fee commission rather than charging brokerage based on the volume of trades. The aim was to remove all the barriers and eliminate the hurdles faced by investors and traders by paying a huge brokerage. Zerodha’s actual operation began in 2010. Prior to 2010, Nithin was looking to raise funding when the Indian financial market was going through a crisis. Also, none of the investors and VCs were confident enough in the idea of an online trading platform back then. Nithin decided to use his savings to get things moving and bought refundable deposits to set up a small office space. It is show time now. In 2010, the business operations started growing with Zerodha’s user-friendly trading platform and technology. They only charged a flat fee of Rs 20 per trader, irrespective of the volume and size. This attracted many traders to get on Zerodha’s platform. In the first year of their operations, Zerodha managed to open 3000 demat accounts.  And they achieved all these without any funding or burning millions of marketing campaigns. At the beginning, they opted for community outreach, as Nithin was part of several online trading communities. This worked in favor of Zerodha. They also opted for a door-to-door marketing policy, and a combination of these strategies helped them acquire the initial customers.  The year 2015 was the major year for business operations, where things started taking more pace. The founders decided to make delivery on equity investments free of charge from a fee of Rs 20 to zero. This gave Zerodha growth, and in just 5 years, the customer base went from 30,000 to 14,00,000 lakh accounts in 2020. In the year 2019, Zerodha also becomes a market leader by leaving behind ICICI Securities, the then-market leader.  But tremendous growth was yet to come. In the year 2020, COVID-19 fueled interest among individuals in stock investing and trading. This surge led to the massive growth of online trading platforms in India, including Zerodha. As a result, Zerodha surpassed its customer base … Read more

Introduction Are you a beginner in the stock market and want to invest some of your income? Do you want to take off on a journey toward wealth creation through systematic investment plans (SIPs) or mutual funds? If your answer is “yes” to both questions, then this blog post has got you covered. In this blog post, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of using the 5Pasa app for investing in stocks and mutual funds. So, settle in, grab a cup of steaming coffee, and let’s delve deep into the details of maximizing your investment potential through the 5paisa app. Before moving ahead, here’s a highlight of the blog post. 1. What is the 5paisa? 2. How does the 5paisa work? 3. Is the 5-paisa safe in India? 4. How Do I Use the 5paisa for Mutual Fund Investment? 5. How to Use the 5paisa for Share Investment? What is the 5paisa? 5paisa was introduced by the IIFL in 2016. It stands out as the pioneer in the discount brokerage sector, offering both share trading and financial advisory services within a single app, all of that at the lowest cost. Impressively, they have garnered a vast customer base of approximately 2.9 million users. 5paisa, known as a low-cost financial service provider, offers online trading, mutual funds, and insurance with the most competitive brokerage charges. With a straightforward pricing plan, they provide trading in various segments like equity, futures and options, intraday, and currency derivatives at a flat brokerage rate of Rs. 20 per order. How do I create an account and complete KYC on the 5paisa? Here comes the main part of the blog post, which is how to use 5paisa for your stock or derivatives and mutual fund investments in India. To start investing in stocks or trading stocks and derivatives through 5paisa, individuals need to open a 2-in-1 account comprising both a trading account and a demat account. If your interest is solely in investing in mutual funds, you can open a 5paisa mutual fund account. 5paisa offers two types of accounts: A. 2-in-1 Account (Trading + Demat Account) B. Mutual Fund Investment Account Steps to create a Demant account on 5paisa Download the 5paisa application from the Play Store. After downloading the 5paisa application from the Play Store or the Apple App Store, the next step is to register your phone number in the 5paisa app. Now, click on the “Continue” button to receive a one-time password (OTP) on your cell phone. 5paisa will automatically verify the OTP that you receive on your cell. Afterwards, you can click on the verify button to proceed to the next step. Following the verification process, please enter your PAN details along with your date of birth (DOB). After entering your PAN card details, the app will automatically retrieve your name. You can then click on the “Continue” button below. For instance, if your name is Mohan, the app will prompt you to confirm both your name and PAN card details. After verifying your PAN card, you must proceed to complete your KYC using Digilocker. After proceeding with KYC, you will be redirected to the DigiLocker page. There, you need to select the document you want to share with DigiLocker and proceed to authenticate your Aadhar card. DigiLocker is a secure government website designed for the safe uploading of your documents. After clicking on authenticate your Aadhar, you need to enter your Aadhar card number and click on next. In the next step, DigiLocker will be requesting your consent to share the Aadhar card and PAN card. To give consent, you need to click on the ‘Allow’ button. Now, DigiLocker displays the document you shared with them. In my experience, I provided them with my Aadhar card details. You can also provide them with your PAN card details. In the next step, please provide your bank details, including your account number and IFSC code. In the next step, please provide your father’s full name, marital status, and gender. From now on, the main steps to creating your account on the 5paisa app will start. Make sure that you fill in every detail carefully at every step. In the next step, you need to select your educational qualifications. Now choose your occupation from the various range of options available to you. If you are the owner of a store or small business, then select Business, or you can select any other option depending on your work profile and the industry in which you are working. Now you need to choose your source of income. There is no need to worry about sharing your personal income details. This step is only to collect some relevant information from you. In the next step, you need to select your net worth (annual income) when creating an account on 5paisa. Some people may find this step confusing because 5paisa is asking for monthly income, but you simply need to choose your net worth. Additionally, you can also designate a nominee for your 5paisa account. It’s crucial to add a nominee, so please don’t forget to do so. Now, it’s time to take a selfie for verification. Make sure to look straight into the front camera, and ensure your face is visible within the circle against a well-lit background. Please do not wear glasses or a hat during this process. In this step, to validate your document, you need to draw your signature exactly as it appears on your PAN card. In the next step, you need to sign using Aadhar, and it is the last step to complete your sign-up in 5paisa. Afterwards, click on “Send OTP.” You will receive an OTP on the number you added to your Aadhaar card, and then enter it in the “VID/Aadhaar” block. Now that you have completed your E-sign process, simply click the “Continue” button to finalize the registration. In this step, you have completed the account opening process. 5paisa will send you an email once … Read more

Overview of Zerodha in India When we speak about the best investment and trading apps in India, Zerodha comes to mind for most individuals who regularly invest in shares, mutual funds, and securities. Founded by Nikhil and Nitin Kamath, Zerodha is India’s largest stock brokerage firm, with millions of customers and clients. At Zerodha, one can use trading services and invest in mutual funds and many other securities at flat fees and cheap commission rates. Zerodha leverages technology to serve its customers. They operate in online mode, with fewer offices and branches all over India. This helps them to maintain their profitability and lessen the operational cost of their business. This allows them to cut costs and offer low-cost trading platforms to their customers. They have multiple product offerings, like Kite, a trading platform, Console: The main dashboard to give an overview of investments and transactions, Coin: for investing in mutual funds; Kite: an API to create trading platforms and systems; Varsity: A learning portal about the stock market, shares, investment, and finance. These are the main products of Zerodha. Despite being a successful trading app in India, people still question its safety concerns and policies. So, let’s discuss whether Zerodha is safe or not. Or, whether Zerodha is legal in India or not? Is Zerodha safe and legal? Yes, Zerodha is a 100% safe and reliable stock broker firm in India. It is a 100% legitimate online trading app in India and among the low-risk brokerage apps. It is registered with SEBI and a member of NSE and BSE, with all the genuine certifications and licenses to conduct the broking business in India. Whatever transactions you do via Zerodha, all are closely monitored by SEBI and stock exchanges at a regular frequency. In the event of any deviation, they are penalized heavily. Besides, Zerodha does not do trading itself. So, there is no risk of getting the client’s money used for another purpose. Also, it is a member of the CDSL depository, which makes it more safe and legal to use for trading and investment purposes. Regulatory compliance by Zerodha Zerodha is a member of the National Stock Exchange, Bombay Stock Exchange, and Multi Commodity Exchange in India, with its registered office in Karnataka, India. It follows all the procedures, guidelines, and legal protocols laid down by SEBI, RBI, and the Government of India to start a trading business in India. Over the years, Zerodha has taken several safety measures to protect investors’ interests, clients’ information, and most importantly, their money. At Zerodha, clients’ funds are kept in separate bank accounts rather than the operational bank accounts. This ensures the client’s funds are not used for personal purposes. They have implemented two-factor authentication for long and short transactions, which adds more safety to the transactions done via the Zerodha App. They have also incorporated SSL certificates on their website and application to win over the customers’ trust for making hassle-free payments and transactions. While Zerodha has implemented these security measures, it’s important to note that no online platform can guarantee 100% security. Users should also take precautions, such as using strong passwords, keeping their login credentials confidential, and being cautious while accessing their account from public or shared devices. It’s always a good practice to do your own research and due diligence before using any online trading platform or app. Additionally, consider consulting with financial advisors or professionals to make informed decisions about your investments. Whether it’s stock trading through Zerodha or calculating your bitcoin profit from crypto investments. Safety measures by Zerodha Now let us talk about the safety measures taken by Zerodha. 1. Hosting First things first, Zerodha’s hosting services and servers are the best in the world, and they follow all the guidelines set by industry standards to secure all the information of their customers. Their hosting comes with SSL certificates on the website and places to prevent eavesdropping. Despite knowing that there is no such thing as perfect security over the internet, Zerodha still makes sure that your data and personal information are kept safe and secured all the time. Whenever you make any transaction via Zerodha, your data is transmitted between your device and its services using the HTTP protocol and encryption. HTTPS technology is used to create secure web browsers and surfing experiences on the internet. 2. Technology Technology is another reason why we can justify the fact that Zerodha is 100% safe and secure. For more than seven years now, they have been building technology with a team of expert engineers without depending on external vendors. They have complete control over their technology and data, which makes them safe. On top of that, their technology stack is as per modern standards. They have also been working on a new security and authentication system to ensure that the Zerodha app and website are safe from the rising cases of phishing and other cybersecurity scams. Also, their platforms have had cryptographic TOTP 2FA support for a while, and we are the only broker to offer this. The trading platforms that we have developed, incorporating good design, simplicity, and usability, are a major reason for the growth in our client base via word-of-mouth. The products speak for themselves. 3. Authentication Zerodha follows a two-factor authentication system, which makes their platform safe and sound. This works like a charm and prevents unauthorized access to your Zerodha account. The scale of their system is also huge, and their app keeps on running 24*7 all day and night. They have not seen any downtime since they launched their application. The top 5 other brokerage apps in India have faced several downtimes and technical glitches. However, this is not the case with Zerodha. 4. Risk management Zerodha is one of the most conservative brokerage firms in India in terms of leverage. This ensures very little operation risk for businesses. They have a single risk management policy for all their clients and no special deal for anyone else. Thus, … Read more

Books are a great way to learn about investing and trading and understand how to make money from money. So, if you are looking for the best books on the stock market in India, you have come to the right spot. In this guide blog post on the best trading books, I’ll walk you through the collection of the best books to read as a beginner and as an expert on trading, share markets, money, value investing, and everything in between. All the books listed here are written by experts and traders with years of experience who have been in the market for more than a decade and created a significant amount of wealth over time. So, reading books by experts would surely add value to your knowledge and help you to truly understand money and the market. So without further ado, let’s get started. 18 Best Trading Books 1. The Intelligent Investor If you are looking for trading books for beginners, then this is it. Written by the greatest investor of all time, Benjamin Graham, this book is the best gift to all those who want to invest their money and earn from the markets. It aims at safeguarding the investor’s money and helping them with strategies of long-term investment, which is also called value investing. In this book, Graham has explained various principles of money, investing, and trading in stocks safely and successfully without incurring major losses. This is the latest edition of the book, which highlights the financial orders and plans to help you grow your money safely and hassle-free. The best part of the book is the strategies and techniques mentioned, which can also be applied by a beginner or newbie in the market. As you dive deep into this book, you’ll learn how to buy stocks or bonds for their intrinsic value and hold them for a longer duration. Besides, it will also teach you how to estimate the value of a stock based on the company’s long-term vision, quality of management, financial strength, and capital structure. Why should you read it? Currently, this is the most insightful book on investing and making money from holding stocks for the long term based on their intrinsic value. This is not a book on how to become rich quickly by investing in stocks; rather, it guides you through the power of value investing. Pros Cons 2. How to Make Money in Intraday Trading: A Master Class by One of India’s Most Famous Traders If you are seriously looking for the best book on trading in India, then this is it. Written by one of the most famous market analysts and expert traders, Ashwini Gujral, this book is surely your gateway to the Indian stock market and trading. The core focus of the book lies on technical analysis and how to use it to the fullest to make money in trading. The book talks about no-nonsense techniques, strategies, tips, and insights surrounding day trading in India. It will also help you get equipped with the skills, temperament, and knowledge required to make money in the market. Ashwani has also done a great job by writing about his time-tested trading strategies and system, which are easy to learn and understand. You don’t have to be a seasoned player in the market in order to understand the book. Even if you have basic financial knowledge, you can think of buying this book. In this book, Ashwani talks about the 3Ms of trading success, which are method, money, and management, and how the combination of all three M’s can be leveraged to kick-start your trading career. Ashwani also talks about the technical pillars of the market, which are moving averages, pivots, candles, trade management, and some exit tactics to help you buy and sell your share at the right time and book your profits. Why should you read it? It is loaded with more than 200 examples, case studies, and charts to show you how to approach the market every single trading day like a professional investor. Pros Cons 3. Trading in the Trading Zone Do you want to improve your trading decisions and minimize trading errors? If yes, then this book on stock trading is just for you. Written by seasoned traders and investor advisors, this book will explain to you what kind of mindset is needed to win the market and guide you through trading strategies. In the market, even the most experienced and pro-traders can suffer setbacks from poor decisions and trading errors. They also lack the necessary confidence to conduct the trades properly. This highlights the mistakes that traders make and will teach you about the state of mind required to make successful trades in the market. It also teaches traders to think in terms of probabilities and how to adopt another’s mindset. There are also some practical examples mentioned in the book to make it easy to understand for beginner traders. Why should you read it? Trading in the Zone is a must-read book for any beginner or serious trader who wants to develop a mindset just like a professional trader. The book gives you some practical examples, insights, and case studies on what it takes to think and perform like a pro trader in the market. The author has also done a great job by using a pictorial representation of ideas and examples to make it easier to digest. Pros Cons 4. The Psychology of Money The Psychology of Money” is a book that dives deep into the intricate relationship between psychology and money. Authored by Morgan Housel, who is a well-known financial writer, the book likely explores the various psychological factors that influence our financial decisions, often in ways we may not fully understand. Here are some potential topics and themes that might be covered in the book: Behavioral Economics: The book might discuss insights from behavioral economics, a field that studies how psychological factors impact economic decisions. It could explore how emotions, … Read more

As the pandemic hit India in mid-2020, there was a stringent rise in demand for stock trading apps in India, namely Groww, Zerodha, and Upstox. These apps allowed individuals in India to invest their money in stocks and shares, invest in IPOs, gold bonds, and mutual funds, and start their SIP within a few clicks. But the question arises: are these apps safe or not? After all, it is quite intimidating to share your personal and bank account details with these apps for investment purposes. In this blog post, I have discussed the most popular debate on the web, “Is the Upstox app safe?” Upstox is one of the most popular stock trading apps in India, with millions of users and clients. However, some individuals still judge Upstox on its safety and are in a dilemma about whether to use it or not. So, if you want to know if Upstox is safe or not for trading and investment, then keep reading this blog post. Here is the highlight of this blog post. 1. Is the Upstox app safe in India? 2. Regulatory Compliance by the Upstox App 3. Security measures and features of the Upstox App for safety 4. Data privacy policy by the Upstox app 5. Customer support through the Upstox app Overview of the Upstox App in India Upstox is the top-rated discount brokerage firm in India that offers an online platform for investors to invest their money in stocks, shares, mutual funds, and many other related securities. They are accessible, affordable, and simple to use with an intuitive user interface, making it easy for traders and investors to use the application. Upstox was started in 2009 as an RKSV firm in a small apartment in Delhi. In the initial days, they were serving a small number of customers and helping them grow their investment in equities. Later, they moved to Mumbai, and the customer base went up to thousands of users. Later, Kavitha joined Upstox and scaled up their growth strategy, finance, operations, and marketing. This was just the beginning of their scaling. In this phase, the company kept experimenting with new technology, strategies, and techniques to grow their business and provide seamless trading experiences to their customers. In the year 2020, Upstox reached the mark of a million customers, and in 2021, they added a million customers in just a single month. Since then, the customer base of Upstox has grown day after day. all thanks to their marketing strategy and partnerships with the IPL and other cricket leagues in India. A major chunk of customers do come from word-of-mouth referrals as well. Is the Upstox app safe for trading? The Upstox app is 100% safe and certified by the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India [SEBI]. It is also a member of two leading stock exchanges in India, namely the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange. Hence, it is surely a safe and secure option for all your investment needs. It also follows all the security guidelines and compliance requirements set by the RBI and the Securities Exchange Board of India. Besides, Upstox leverages the power of the latest technology. In fact, they are a technology-based firm that provides services in the space of finance. They use the necessary tools, latest technology, framework, cyber security measures, encryption, and firewalls to keep your money safe and secure all the time. Is Upstox Safe for Mutual Fund Investment? Yes, Upstox is also safe for all the mutual fund’s investments and starting your SIP. On the contrary, Upstox does not charge a single penny for mutual fund investments in India. You can start your SIP for free by using Upstox. You will see loads of mutual fund options on Upstox listed by various asset management companies in India. There are funds from various categories, including small-cap, mid-cap, large-cap, hybrid funds, equity-oriented funds, debt funds, and a lot more, that will help you save tax and give better returns in the long haul. Regulatory Compliance by the Upstox App Upstox has followed all the regulatory compliance by SEBI and RBI, which makes it a 100% safe platform for trading and investment. It is also a registered member of SEBI, NSE, BSE, MCX, and CDSL. The company is also regulated by all the stock broker regulations, which further adds to its safety. To further ensure security, Upstox uses the TPIN number, which is required to verify the identity of each user for call and trading purposes. With TPIN verification, no user can trade. This will curb the chances of someone else using your account for trading, theft, security issues, hacking, and related cyber fraud. Hence, Upstox is safe for trading and investment purposes. Security Measures of Upstox for Safety Trust, security, authentication, and transparency are the most important factors that Upstox takes into consideration for the safety of their users. Upstox ensures that the funds and money of each investor are safe and secure. That’s the reason why they take users’ trust and safety seriously. Upstox will never compromise the user’s information and personal details regarding their bank account or other information with any third-party vendor or marketing service. They have an impeccable track record with all their users over the years for privacy and trust, making them one of the best trading platforms in India. Besides trust, Upstox also takes security very seriously and ensures not to release customer information and sensitive data to third-party vendors and advertisers. Users trust and personal information are both safe with Upstox. From your email address to bank account details, every piece of information is safe and secure. Upstox is also protected with two-factor (2FA) authentication.2-factor authentication protects the application against unauthorized access and protects the sensitive information of the users. Its purpose is to make it harder for cyberattacks and reduce fraud risks. Is it safe to open an account on Upstox? Yes, it is 100% safe to open an account with Upstox because it … Read more