The application was reportedly filed in April and is currently under review by the regulator.
Confirming the development to Business Standard, Zerodha said, “We have filed application for the merchant banking (category 1) licence with Sebi. We will be able to share more about our business plans once we receive the licence.”
The company also confirmed the same development to startup-focused media platform Entrackr. A Zerodha spokesperson told the publication, “We have filed an application for the merchant banking (Category 1) licence with SEBI. We’ll be able to share more about our business plans once we receive the licence.”Once approved, the licence would enable Zerodha to manage initial public offerings (IPOs), advise companies on fundraising strategies, and offer a broader suite of corporate finance and issue-management services, as reported by Entrackr.
The move comes at a time when India’s IPO market is seeing strong momentum, with several venture-backed startups and new-age technology firms preparing to tap public markets over the next few years.
An entry into merchant banking would place Zerodha in direct competition with established investment banking players such as JM Financial, Kotak Mahindra Capital, Axis Capital, and ICICI Securities, which currently dominate the space.
With hundreds of startups expected to explore IPO opportunities in the coming years, Zerodha’s entry could intensify competition for public market mandates, particularly among technology-led and digitally native companies.
The development also follows Zerodha’s recent efforts to broaden its consumer financial products ecosystem. The company recently introduced fixed deposit (FD) investments on its Coin platform, allowing users to invest in partner-bank FD schemes and monitor them through a unified interface.
First Published: Jun 29, 2026 10:48 AM IS
