Alternative
Investments Made Easy

Alternative investments are non-traditional financial assets that exist outside of conventional options, such as Indian stocks, fixed deposits, physical gold, and cash. They offer diversification opportunities into new-age asset classes and help investors build a more balanced portfolio.

Vested is a comprehensive platform for investing in alternative assets, facilitating diverse and global investment opportunities.

At Vested, the alternative investment options include:

• US stocks: Offering Indian and NRI investors the opportunity to diversify into 5,000+ US stocks and ETFs.
• Vested Edge: A platform to invest in Peer-to-Peer lending. With Edge, you can automatically diversify your investments across multiple RBI-regulated P2P platforms like Faircent and Lendbox.
• INR Bonds: Gives you access to a curated list of corporate and government bonds in India, previously more accessible to institutional investors. This includes corporate bonds rated A and above and government bonds, offering potential fixed-income returns between 9-12%. The minimum investment is 1,000 INR
• Solar: Invest in solar panels in rooftop projects. Earn 10-13% returns while helping India move to clean energy.

The alternative investments offered on Vested are legal and follow the guidelines set by the regulators (the RBI and SEBI). Before you venture into the world of alternatives, it is vital to consider the following points:

Understanding the investment: Before investing, you should have a clear understanding of the asset class, its structure, and potential risks and returns. This includes understanding the market dynamics, historical performance, and factors influencing the asset’s value. It’s essential to ensure that they align with your overall investment strategy and risk tolerance

Liquidity: Alternative investments often have lower liquidity compared to traditional investments. You must consider your liquidity needs and whether you can afford to have your money tied up for the investment period.

Vested is accessible to Indian residents, allowing them to invest in US stocks and ETFs, as well as alternative investment options like P2P lending and INR bonds. It’s suitable for both beginners and experienced investors who are looking for opportunities to invest in global markets and non-traditional assets.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) can also invest in US Stocks with Vested. To open an account with Vested, NRIs need to provide their PAN card or passport, proof of address like a passport, and their tax ID from the country where they are currently a tax resident.

To open an account on Vested as an investor, follow these steps:

• Create an account: Visit the Vested website and sign up for an account. You’ll need to provide your basic information.
• Select asset class: After signing up, choose the asset class you are interested in, such as US stocks and ETFs, Vested Edge for P2P lending, or INR Bonds for investments in bonds.
• Complete the KYC process: Submit the required documents for the Know Your Customer (KYC) process. This typically includes your PAN card, address proof, and tax ID if you’re an NRI.
• Fund your account: Add funds to your Vested account either by transferring from an Indian bank account or through a wire transfer from a non-Indian bank account.
• Start investing: Once your account is set up and funded, you can start investing in the available options, such as US stocks, ETFs, or alternative investments offered by Vested.

Your assets are held at a 3rd party custodian, and we do not ever touch or hold your money.

For US Stocks, If Vested shuts down, you would still have access to all your cash and securities, as we will ensure that direct DriveWealth access is established for you to continue to buy or sell securities. In the highly unlikely event that Vested and DriveWealth shut down, your SIPC insurance kicks in. Each brokerage account opened with Vested is insured by SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation) up to $500,000. This includes $250,000 in cash. For more details, please read here

For other asset classes – Vested Edge and INR Bonds, you will still have access to your cash and securities through our NBFC-P2P partners (for Vested Edge), and your INR Bonds holdings will persist in your demat account with NSDL/CDSL.

For US Stocks, Vested charges a fee of ₹250 to open your account and a brokerage fee of 0.20% (0.10% for Premium users) for all buy/sell transactions. In addition, your bank may charge a fee for transferring funds from your bank account to your US brokerage account.

For other alternative investments on Vested (P2P lending via Vested Edge and INR Bonds), there are no associated fees charged by Vested.