Angel One Unlocks US Stock Market for Indian Investors via GIFT City Gateway

Indian brokerage giant Angel One has begun rolling out access for its users to invest directly in US stocks and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), marking a significant new chapter for retail investors looking beyond domestic markets. This move, enabled by regulatory green lights for international investing through GIFT City, allows Indians to easily tap into global themes like Artificial Intelligence and semiconductors. Angel One is sweetening the deal with zero transaction brokerage charges until December 2026, making it an attractive proposition for those eager to diversify their portfolios. This development comes amidst a growing appetite among Indian investors for global exposure, driven by a desire to spread their investments and gain access to leading companies in high-growth sectors often not prominent in India. Outward remittances from India for investments hit a record $3.1 billion in FY24, and Google Trends data shows a remarkable 5000% spike in searches for 'investing in global markets' over the last year. The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has been key in enabling this by setting up a framework within GIFT City, India's first International Financial Services Centre, to facilitate such cross-border financial activities. As Angel One phases in full access by mid-November, including support for fractional investing, this initiative is poised to redefine investment strategies for a new generation of Indian wealth builders. Investors will operate under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), allowing remittances up to $250,000 annually, with added Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) safeguards for US assets. The competitive landscape is heating up, but Angel One entry highlights a broader shift towards global financial integration for Indian retail money, opening doors to companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia right from their phones.