Best Ways to Invest in US Stocks from India: 8 Best Alternatives to INDmoney

For many Indians, investing in US stocks still remains a dream, mostly because of the lack of convenient and accessible options to invest in US equities from India.

The launch of the INDmoney app a few years back gave some relief to these investors, as the app allowed users to directly buy the stocks of US-based companies. However, even this option was far from perfect. For one, the app charges a high platform fee and withdrawal fee, which can greatly limit profitability for users. Also, there is a lack of transparency. It doesn’t exactly give direct access to US stocks but works as a mediator, charging fees.

If you are looking for the best INDmoney alternatives or the best way to invest in US stocks from India, here you go:

Why invest in US stocks
Some of the world’s biggest and fastest-growing companies are based in the US. Purchasing their stocks will give your portfolio a much bigger exposure than having just Indian equities and can significantly boost your returns.

Here are some of the top ways to invest in the US stock market from India:

1. Stock tokens
Stock tokens are probably the easiest way to invest in US equities for people outside the US. Not many people have heard about them though.

Stock tokens refer to tokenized stocks, i.e. stocks that have been tokenized on a blockchain. The benefits include easy & global access to top stocks in the world, low fees, liquidity, buy stocks from anywhere, buy fractional shares, buy stocks without a bank account (increased privacy), and 24-hour trading, among others. Here’s how stock tokens work.

You can buy tokenized stocks from a stock token platform like Reflection. When you purchase stock tokens of a listed US company like Apple or Amazon from Reflection.trading, the platform will, in turn, buy actual shares of the company from the US stock market for a value equal to your investment. These shares are stored in a brokerage amount, and you get stock tokens in your account.

The value of a stock token reflects the live market price of the underlying stock at any time. You can seamlessly buy and trade stock tokens on the Reflection platform using stablecoins like BUSD. Enjoy the profits of US stocks without all the hassle and from anywhere in the world.

Features & Benefits of Stock Token Trading on Reflection:

60+ tokens of top companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, Netflix Microsoft, Tesla, and many more.
Highly secure — protected by Fireblocks
Access to global equity markets
24-hour trading — buy and sell stocks even when the markets are closed
Buy fractional shares of top US companies
Increased privacy — buy without a bank account
Transfer stock tokens to others, as payment, gift, or loan collateral

Join the Reflection Stock Token Platform today and unlock a world of possibilities! Sign up now to access exclusive offers and seamlessly trade stock tokens of top global companies.
Don’t miss out, Join us now!

2. International trading accounts
One way to buy and trade in US stocks directly from India is to open an international trading account with a global brokerage firm like Interactive Brokers or TD Ameritrade. This account gives you access to the US markets with the ability to buy and sell stocks of listed US companies on top US exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or NASDAQ.

Different global brokerage firms have different pros and cons and one must compare them based on platform fees, security, range of options, customer support, etc. to find the one that suits their needs.

3. Vested Finance
Top features & benefits include:

Invest along with other people
Transfer money to other users
One-day fast withdrawal to Indian bank accounts
SIPC and FDIC insurance for account protection
Automatic recurring investments (SIP)
One-time platform fee and low transaction charges
256-bit encryption and SSL security
Advanced research & investment tools
Founded in 2018, Vested is an SEC-approved Investment platform that enables people to invest in the US equity market, stocks and ETFs from anywhere in the world.

The company was founded by India-based Viram Shah with the aim of empowering clients by streamlining the process of investing in US stocks. It gives direct access to the US markets with the ability to buy stocks of a number of US-based listed companies. The platform allows you to make market trades and also provides many tools to ensure a convenient and profitable investing experience.

4. Depositary Receipts
Depositary Receipts or DRs are a popular investing option for Indians looking to invest in US securities. Depositary Receipts represent shares in one or more foreign companies listed on their respective exchanges. Anyone can invest in DRs through an authorised broker.

American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) are some options through which you can invest in US-based stocks. Research Indian or international brokers that allow investing in DRs of US stocks and compare them in terms of fees and more.

5. Kuvera
Features & benefits include:

Investments up to $500,000 per user fully insured
Invest as little as $10
1000+ stocks and ETFs
Easy and fast withdrawals
Tax report at year-end
High security and privacy

Kuvera is a Bangalore, India-based stock trading brokerage platform that allows you to invest in US stocks directly and through US ETFs (exchange traded funds). It provides access to many listed US stocks, such as NVIDIA, General Electric, Meta, Dell, Adobe, Apple, Tesla, and many more, as well as ETFs like the S&P 500, enabling Indians to diversify their portfolios with US equities. The fee charged by the platform for investment in US stocks is 0.2% commission per trade (up to $20)

6. US-focused international mutual funds
International mutual funds are funds by Indian mutual fund houses that provide exposure to international stocks or listed companies US-focused international mutual funds provide maximum exposure to US stocks and may also include stocks from some other countries or international exchanges.

This is one of the easiest and most popular methods for Indians to invest in US stocks. However, by investing in US-focused mutual funds, you’d be indirectly investing in US stocks and not buying stocks of US companies directly, so you do not get any rights to voting and/or dividends of the underlying companies. Compare different US-focused mutual funds based on expense ratio, tracking error, and the fund manager’s expertise to find your best fit.

7. Stockal
Features & benefits include:

No minimum investment limit
Dollar-based investing — can buy fractional shares
Fully compliant and legalized
5,500+ stocks and ETFs of global companies
High security and privacy
Dedicated international bank account for every user

Stockal is a popular stock trading platform that provides access to US stocks and investing options for investors in India and the Middle East. The platform allows users to invest in the stocks and ETFs of more than 5,500 global companies. Besides international stocks and ETFs, they have Stacks, which are curated portfolios of carefully selected international stocks ready for investment. People in India can invest in a large number of US companies and stocks through the platform directly or indirectly (ETFs).

8. US-focused ETFs
ETFs or exchange-traded funds are like mutual funds that trade on stock exchanges. You can invest in ETFs through a Demat account with any Indian stockbroker.

There are some ETFs that provide exposure to US stocks and securities. Just like US-focused mutual funds, you can invest in US-focused ETFs to buy and trade US stocks indirectly on exchanges. An ETF is a collection of multiple stocks, usually in a certain category. NASDAQ100 ETF for example, provides access to the top 100 US stocks.

Conclusion
Hope this article helps you find the best way to invest in U.S. stocks from India. Investing in stock markets is subject to risk. Always do your research and invest through only a reliable and authentic platform that is legally registered or allowed to provide services in India. Invest in stocks carefully after analyzing your risk tolerance and based on the returns you want. Consult with a licensed broker or financial advisor before investing in market-linked securities if you are new to this space.