Step-by-Step Process to Buy Shares Online
Follow these simple steps to learn how to buy shares online in India and start your investment journey today.
1. Get a PAN Card
A Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric identifier issued by the Government of India. It is mandatory for conducting financial transactions, including buying shares.
2. Open a Demat Account
A Demat account stores your shares in digital form. It replaces the older system of physical certificates, reducing the risk of theft or damage. Brokers offers a seamless, paperless process to open a Demat account online.
3. Open a Trading Account
To place buy or sell orders, you’ll need a trading account, which is linked with your bank and Demat account. The trading account acts as a gateway between your funds and the stock exchange.
4. Register with a SEBI-registered broker
A broker or brokerage platform is a SEBI-registered Depository Participant (DP). Registration is done online by completing a simple KYC process and uploading relevant documents.
5. Link a Bank Account
Your bank account must be linked to your trading account to transfer funds for share purchases and receive any sale proceeds. This ensures smooth transactions and quick settlements.
6. Obtain UIN (If Required)
A Unique Identification Number (UIN) is required if your trading capital exceeds ₹1 lakh. It helps SEBI track market participation and maintain transparency. You can get a UIN via a POS agent registered with NSDL.
Once all these steps are complete, you're ready to buy shares online using the trading platform or mobile app.
Benefits of Online Share Investing
Online investing has made stock market participation faster, simpler, and more accessible for all types of investors.
Convenience:
Invest and manage your portfolio anytime, from anywhere, using web-based platforms or mobile apps—eliminating the need for branch visits or phone calls.
Lower Costs:
Online platforms reduce operational overheads, allowing brokers to offer lower brokerage charges and waive account opening or maintenance fees in some cases.
Faster Execution:
With real-time market data and instant order placement, your trades are executed in seconds, ensuring you don’t miss time-sensitive opportunities.
Access to Tools:
Use integrated tools like stock screeners, technical charts, live news feeds, and expert research to analyse market trends and make informed decisions.
Paperless Transactions:
From KYC to account activation and trading, every step is completed digitally, reducing paperwork and ensuring quicker turnaround times.
Key Considerations Before Investing
Before you start investing, it’s important to understand your goals, assess market risks, and choose the right platform. A well-informed approach helps you invest with clarity and confidence.
Choose a Reliable Broker
Select a platform that offers intuitive tools, transparent pricing, and research support. Those who provide competitively priced brokerage and insightful tools to support informed investing.
Define Your Investment Goals
Set clear financial objectives based on your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and capital availability. Decide whether you are investing for long-term wealth creation or short-term gains.
Do Your Research
Understand the fundamentals of the companies you are investing in. Study their financial health, industry position, and future growth prospects. Rely on credible research and data-backed reports.
Assess Risks
Market volatility is inherent in equity investments. Use features like stop-loss orders to mitigate potential losses. Invest only the amount you are comfortable risking.
Intraday Trading: What Kind of Stocks to Choose?
Intraday trading means you will open and close all positions for the day at the same time, which means finding the right stocks is very important.
Always aim to focus on liquid stocks - stocks that are trading in size and volume throughout the day. Liquid stocks ensure that you can buy or sell the shares quickly without a significant change in market price, which is valuable for the intraday trader, as they must square off (close) all of their positions before the end of the day.
Liquid stocks are usually accompanied by narrower bid-ask spreads, which allow a more accurate entry and exit point for the intraday trader to take advantage of smaller daily price movements. Liquidity is prevalent in stocks of larger companies (large-cap) or belong to categories in major indices (like Nifty 50, Sensex).
Understanding the 'Value Area' in Trading
The 'value area' is a price range where 70% of the previous day’s trades occurred. Traders use this range to forecast price movements. If prices open below the value area and remain there for the first hour, they may return to that range. Conversely, if prices open above and fail to hold, a downward trend to the value area is possible. Stop-loss orders can help minimise risk if the trend doesn’t go as anticipated.
Final Thoughts: Start Your Investment Journey
Investing in stocks in India is no longer a prerogative of professional traders or experts. Today, even potential first-time investors can actively begin investing in the equity market, thanks to all of the digital trading platforms, easy account setups, and increased access to education resources.
However, when it comes to investing successfully, it is easy to put a buy or sell order, but it goes beyond that! Investing successfully will require that you understand your financial goals, what to look for in the right investments, and what is going on in the marketplace.
With a reliable broker as your partner, you do not simply enjoy a faster and easier trading experience. You can also get important insights based on research, low brokerage charges, and integrated digital security. Whether you are investing for the long term to build wealth or exploring short-term options, a good first step can lead to success.