Five platforms for Indian beginners to invest in US stocks: Groww, INDmoney, Zerodha, Dhan, Upstox

Starting to invest is considered an important step towards building wealth over the long term. The Indian stock market offers many opportunities to earn, but investing in foreign markets adds diversity to a portfolio and gives access to companies operating in different economies.

The US stock market includes some of the world's largest companies in technology, healthcare, financial services and consumer sectors. Under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), Indian residents can send money abroad within a set limit for approved investments and take part in the US market.

Investing in a foreign market, however, brings other considerations: currency conversion, transferring funds abroad, brokerage charges and compliance with tax rules. These can be difficult for those unfamiliar with cross-border investing, which makes choosing the right platform important. Beginners should look for a platform where opening an account and sending money is easy, fractional investing is offered, there is a wide range of US-listed securities and fees are stated clearly.

The first name is Groww, described as India's largest stock broker. Indian shares, mutual funds and US shares are available in one place. More than 10,000 US stocks and ETFs are available on Groww, and investment can start from just $1, so buying a whole share is not necessary. US shares trade in dollars, so returns depend on the exchange rate as well as the share price. For this, Groww offers a separate USD balance. Dividends also arrive in USD in the Groww Balance. A daily trading summary and trade statement, showing the charges applied, are sent by email. Existing users can activate a US stock account by giving consent on screen. Once the account is active, there is no separate wait on the platform's side for funding, but when the money arrives depends on the bank's remittance processing. After-Market Orders (AMO) are also available. Opening and maintaining the account costs nothing, and brokerage is 0.1% of the transaction value or $1, whichever is higher. Regulatory and other charges are listed separately.

Second is INDmoney, which presents itself as a financial super-app. Weekly or monthly SIPs can be used to invest in fractions of US stocks and ETFs. There is a separate wallet for US investments, from which money can also be sent back to an Indian bank account. There are also tools to help with filing income tax returns (ITR), useful for disclosures such as foreign holdings and Schedule FA.

Third is Zerodha, counted among the country's older discount brokers. Its global investing facility gives access to US stocks and ETFs. Domestic and foreign investments can be managed through the familiar Kite interface. Fractional investing is available, and brokerage is capped at $10 per order.

Fourth is Dhan, which serves both active traders and long-term investors. Here too, fractional portions of US shares and ETFs can be bought from $1. Brokerage stays within its set minimum and maximum.

Fifth is Upstox, which uses its GIFT City infrastructure for international investing. Brokerage is 0.25% per transaction, with a minimum of $0.01 and a maximum of $25 per order.

The bottom line is that merely getting access to US shares is not enough. Minimum investment, brokerage, how an account is activated, how money is sent and the availability of information should also be considered. INDmoney may suit those who want automated investing and tax help. Groww is described as the best option for beginners.