At a Glance: Feature Summary
Here's a quick overview of Dhan Raise IFSC:
| Feature Parameter | Dhan Raise IFSC Details |
|---|---|
| Supported US Stocks | Available (Large-cap listings via international frameworks) |
| ETFs | Selected international ETFs available |
| Fractional Investing | Supported (Allows investing by dollar amount) |
| Minimum Investment | Subject to broker terms and LRS remittance minimums |
| Funding Route | Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) via partner bank accounts |
| Trading App Availability | Integrated experience within Dhan's ecosystem frameworks |
| Account Maintenance Fees | ₹0 — no AMC or custody fees charged |
| Brokerage on US Stocks | Flat 0.25% of transaction value |
Is Dhan Raise IFSC right for you?
- Existing Dhan users who want a familiar interface for global investing.
- Investors seeking exchange-regulated access to top US equities from GIFT City.
- Retail investors planning to build a global portfolio using fractional shares.
- Advanced traders requiring complex options or derivatives strategies for overseas markets.
- Investors looking for direct access to stock exchanges outside the US infrastructure.
Core Platform Features & Supported Stocks
The platform is designed to make global markets accessible directly from India's IFSC zone. Instead of dealing with third-party international brokers, users get an integrated experience powered by Raise IFSC. Key product capabilities include:
- US Equities & ETFs: Direct exposure to major large-cap US companies and prominent diversified international index funds.
- Fractional Investing: You do not need to buy a whole share of expensive tech stocks. You can invest fixed dollar amounts to purchase fractional pieces.
- NSE IX Integration: Access to index tracking products and stock receipts aligned with global liquidity pools — see our NSE IX Global Access review for how the underlying exchange works.
How Onboarding Works: Account Opening (Web)
The account opening process uses a digitized setup flow to verify your identity and link your account to international trading channels. Here's what the actual sign-up screens look like, step by step, when opening a fresh Dhan account from the website:
Head to Dhan's US stocks landing page and enter your mobile number to kick off registration. This is also where the platform highlights its core pitch — fractional investing, IFSCA-regulated access via GIFT City, and support for all US stocks and ETFs.
An OTP is sent to the mobile number you entered. Enter it to confirm your identity and proceed to the next step.
Next, enter and verify your email address. This becomes the primary email tied to your Dhan account and trading notifications.
Once your contact details are verified, Dhan shows an estimated time to complete account opening (it claims under 10 minutes, with over 95% of users finishing in under 5). Click "Get Started Now" to begin — you can also enter a referral code here if you have one.
Your 10-digit PAN is mandatory to open a demat account. Enter your PAN number along with your date of birth as it appears on the PAN card.
Dhan uses DigiLocker — the government's digital identity repository — for fast KYC. You'll enter your Aadhaar number, consent to sharing your Aadhaar eKYC details with the Income Tax Department for PAN verification, and select the documents to fetch (Aadhaar Card and PAN Verification Record).
You'll need to declare your annual income bracket and occupation/profession — standard requirements for opening any demat and trading account in India.
A live selfie is required for identity verification. Dhan asks you to ensure your face is clearly visible, avoid side-facing angles or sunglasses, and allow camera access when prompted.
Your signature — matching the one on your PAN card — can either be drawn directly on screen or uploaded as a photo taken with a blue/black pen on plain paper.
Finally, link your bank account either instantly via UPI or by manually entering your IFSC code and account number. This is the account your domestic funds will move from when you remit money under LRS.
Continuing on the Mobile App
Once you've been onboarded, download the Dhan app to finish setting up global investing. The app walks you through a short onboarding carousel, a mandatory risk disclosure for global investments, and then a one-tap activation that completes your KYC.
Open the Dhan app and head to the US Stocks section. You'll see an "Activate Global Investing" prompt on the home screen — tap Activate to kick off the in-app onboarding.
Next, the app shows a short carousel introducing global investing — fractional investing, IFSC GIFT City regulation, and the ability to track and invest in popular US stocks and ETFs. Swipe to continue.
Before you can proceed, Dhan shows a mandatory disclosure covering how global investing works under the IFSCA framework — market and currency risk, custody of securities with international brokers, SIPC coverage limits on eligible US securities, and the fact that IFSC investments aren't covered by Indian investor protection schemes. Tick the checkbox and hit "Agree and Proceed Ahead." From here, you're walked through the same KYC checks covered in the web flow above — PAN, DigiLocker verification, declarations, photo, and signature — just inside the app. Once you complete that final KYC step, you're done: your account is active and ready to invest in US stocks.
Inside the Platform App
Once your account is live, here's a look at the Dhan dashboard — where you can track your portfolio, browse market movers, and access equities, mutual funds, ETFs, options, futures, and commodities from a single home screen.
Funding Your Account & Brokerage Fees
How to Fund Your Account
Account funding relies on the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) framework, which carries an annual LRS limit of $250,000 per financial year for resident individuals. Funds are transferred from your domestic bank account to your Raise IFSC ledger. Because Raise IFSC operates inside the IFSCA-regulated GIFT City zone, LRS remittances into it are treated as domestic transfers rather than an outward foreign remittance for TCS purposes — use our LRS limit calculator to check how much headroom you have left for the year.
Pricing and Fees
Dhan publicly announced its pricing for US stock and ETF investing through Raise IFSC at launch. Here's what's confirmed:
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Account Opening | Free |
| Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC) | ₹0 — not charged |
| Custody Fee | Not charged |
| Brokerage | Flat 0.25% of transaction value per trade |
| Minimum Funding | No published minimum — fractional investing lets you start from as little as $1 |
| FX Conversion Spread | Not publicly disclosed as a fixed number; applied by Dhan's payment partner (GlomoPay) at the time of remittance — confirm the live rate before transferring funds |
| Withdrawal Fee | Not published — check the current fee schedule in-app before initiating a withdrawal |
| Inactivity Fee | None disclosed for the domestic platform; no separate policy published for the US stocks product |
Fee figures above are sourced from Dhan's public launch announcement and pricing pages as of July 2026. Fees can change — always confirm current numbers on Dhan's official pricing page before funding your account.
Pros and Cons: Compared to Competitors
- IFSC trades generally do not attract STT or Indian stamp duty. Confirm the applicable charges with your broker.
- Native app integration means no need to juggle multiple login profiles across platforms.
- Fractional share features make it easier to dollar-cost average into global indices.
- The asset universe is smaller than direct US brokers like Interactive Brokers or Charles Schwab.
- Remittances are bound by standard retail LRS tax rules, including domestic TCS tracking.
- Varying liquidity depth on specific localized contracts compared to primary US exchanges.
Tax Implications: Dealing with Schedule FA
Even though trading within a GIFT City framework offers specific domestic tax benefits, resident Indian investors must remain fully compliant with overseas asset reporting rules. All US equities, exchange receipts, or uninvested dollar cash balances held in your Raise IFSC account are legally classified as reportable foreign assets.
You must declare these holdings under Schedule FA in your annual ITR-2 or ITR-3 filings. Remember that Schedule FA monitors holdings based on the Calendar Year (January 1 – December 31) rather than the standard Indian Financial Year. For proper compliance, you must report the Initial Value, Peak Value, and Closing Value converted using the historical SBI Telegraphic Transfer Buying Rate (TTBR) for the relevant transaction dates. Omissions or failures to report can invite a fixed penalty of ₹10 Lakhs under the Black Money Act, making accurate tax reporting absolutely essential.
Frequently asked, honestly answered.
0 1 Do I need to pay brokerage fees if I am only buying fractional shares?
Yes. Dhan charges a flat 0.25% brokerage on the transaction value, whether you buy a full share or a fractional amount — there's no separate reduced rate for fractional orders. Confirm the live rate on Dhan's pricing page before trading, since fee structures can change.
0 2 Can I file my taxes via ITR-1 if I hold assets in Dhan Raise IFSC?
No. The simple ITR-1 form does not contain the mandatory Schedule FA reporting module. You will need to upgrade your tax filing method to an ITR-2 or ITR-3 form — see our Schedule FA checklist for the full reporting process.
0 3 How does Dhan's GIFT City account compare to NSE IX Global Access directly?
Dhan acts as the participant broker connecting you to the underlying exchange clearing systems. While the base exchange rules are aligned, the user interface, customer support, and specific retail fee packages are custom-built by Dhan. Read our NSE IX Global Access review for a side-by-side comparison.
0 4 How long does account approval take?
The web onboarding flow itself takes under 10 minutes to complete (Dhan claims over 95% of users finish in under 5). After submission, exchange-side verification typically takes 24–48 hours, after which your account is ready to trade.
0 5 What documents do I need to open an account?
You'll need your PAN card, Aadhaar (for DigiLocker-based KYC), a live selfie for photo verification, your signature (drawn or uploaded), your bank account details (IFSC code and account number), and declarations of your annual income and occupation.
0 6 Can NRIs use Dhan Raise IFSC?
The onboarding flow shown in this review — PAN, Aadhaar-based DigiLocker KYC, and LRS-based funding — is designed for resident Indian individuals investing under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. NRIs are subject to a different regulatory and tax framework and are not eligible to invest via LRS; check directly with Dhan support for NRI-specific account options, if any.
0 7 Can I transfer existing US stock holdings into my Dhan Raise IFSC account?
This isn't a feature we've seen documented for Dhan's Raise IFSC product. If you already hold US stocks with another broker (say, Interactive Brokers or Schwab), check with Dhan support directly on whether an ACATS-style transfer-in is supported before assuming you can move existing holdings across.
0 8 Can I buy UCITS ETFs through Dhan Raise IFSC?
Dhan's Raise IFSC platform is built around US-listed stocks and ETFs on Nasdaq and NYSE, not Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs. If UCITS exposure (with its more favorable US estate tax treatment) is what you're after, see our Irish-domiciled UCITS ETF guide for platforms that support them.