Why should you have a Demat Account?

New Delhi [India], November 7 (ANI/AB Digital Media): Do you remember the piggy bank? Yes, exactly – the one that held all of your coins, the change from when you went to the store, and so much more. What happened to the piggy bank? Have any clue – well, we digitized!
That’s true, and we are at the pinnacle of the digital era, where literally everything is digital. But – that doesn’t mean we have forgotten our roots – but that means storing things in a bank. With all things coming to the forefront, we also tend to store our investments now. Now, do not run away looking for a gold investment locker – that is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about something more digitized – a dematerialization account.
What is a Dematerialization or Demat Account?
A Demat Account – which is also known as the Dematerialized Account, offers the option of keeping shares and other securities electronically. Shares are bought and managed or kept in this Account during online trading, making it easy for the consumer to transact. All of a person’s investments in bonds, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, shares, and government securities are secured together in the Demat Account.
Demat made it feasible for the Indian stock exchange to go digital and improved the SEBI overview. Additionally – by storing stocks in electronic format, the Demat Account decreased the chances of theft, destruction, and fraud. Initially – the investors had to go through the manual procedure of opening an account, and it took a couple of days or weeks for it to be active already. That is not the case now.
Though the Demat Account opening online is simple and for everyone, why would you need one, right? Here is why!
What are the Perks of Having a Demat Account?
The dematerialization of securities has a wide variety of advantages. Here are a few of them:
a) Your Costs Will Come Down
Your digital securities do not incur stamp duty.
The holding fees assessed are minimal.
Both odd lots and single security may be purchased.
The amount of time needed to complete a transaction decreases as paperwork is eliminated. Because less paper is used, the process also becomes more environmentally beneficial.
b) It Makes things Lighter On You
You can easily manage your shares and transactions from anywhere, including via computer or smartphone (i.e., it does not require the investor to be there physically). Your ownership of your shares becomes legally established upon the conversion of securities into electronic equities. Certificates do not require to be given to the company registrar after this point.
c) You Will Always Have a Nominee for Your Investments
By designating a nominee, the investor will have the option to grant that person the authority to manage the Account in his or her place.
d) All of the Stakeholders Will Benefit from It
Transaction expenses significantly drop since the depository makes sure that entitlements are immediately credited to the investor’s Account. The costs of tracking and documenting securities without paper become negligible. It enables stakeholders to concentrate on strategy rather than administrative tasks, enhancing engagement, liquidity, and profits.
e) You Can Get Loans at Your Fingertips
Bonds and debentures already in existence can be pledged as collateral to get a loan, frequently at a cheaper interest rate, as securities become more liquid.
f) Your Transactions Will Always Be Safe
Electronic methods are used for crediting and transferring securities. As a result, risks like errors, fraud, and theft associated with paper securities are reduced.
g) It is Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy
You can use it to electronically send instruction slips to the depository participant. Swift transfers have advantages, including share bonus issues, interest, dividends, stock splits, and refunds. Additionally, the market’s liquidity has increased.
h) You Also Get to Freeze your Investments Temporarily
You could also set a bar time limit for the freezing of your Demat Account. You are only able to utilize this feature, though, if your Account contains shares of the specified number.
i) It is a Great Tool for Mitigation
Investor confidence is strengthened because there is no need to travel to brokers’ offices or other locations to exchange information or place orders. Delay risk is minimized.
j) You can See Yourself Participating in the Market More
Leads to greater trade activity and market liquidity.
Are there Any Downsides to a Demat Account?
Well, every coin has two coins – so does use dematerialization, and that is:
a) You Could Face Problems with Technology
People with slow computers or low computer handling speed are at a disadvantage against those with stronger software and computer skills.
b) The Frequency Shoots Up
Markets are now more liquid, but they are also more volatile thanks to easier communication and orders. As a result, investors frequently place a higher priority on short-term returns than long-term ones.
But – there are quite a few things that you would have to know before you can open your first Demat Account:
Things You Can’t Press Skip On
a) There are Charges
The cost is determined by the DP’s policy. A one-time account opening cost, an annual maintenance fee, a fee for dematerialization, and a fee or commission for each transaction the DP makes are typical fees.
The opening account charge is typically waived, although there may be no dematerialization fee at all.
b) The Trading Account and the Demat Account are Different
The same components – financial securities – are dealt with by both a Demat account and a trading account. While the securities are held in a Demat account, an investor can buy, sell, or trade in these securities using a trading account.
Although it is possible to have a Demat account without a trading account, the reverse is not true.
c) The Deal on Transfers
An investor might want to move securities between Demat accounts. The investor must fill out the Intra Delivery Instruction Slip and give it to their DP when different DPs manage the two Demat accounts in question but on the same central depository. However, the investor must complete the Inter Delivery Instruction Slip if the DPs are held by various central depositories.
The investor must submit the DIS within open market hours in order to execute it on the same day as submission. Additionally, this guarantees that the transfer will be carried out without delay. You should be aware that the broker handling the transfer can levy a transfer fee.
Conclusion
There are just so many attributes you could get out of a Demat account, and some of them are right here for you to look at. But, apart from this, you would have to know that it is not completely mandatory for you to have a Demat account, but it has, without a doubt, become essential, in spite of the downsides.
This story has been provided by AB Digital Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/AB Digital Media)