Bajaj Finserv turns up the heat in broking; BFSL joins zero-brokerage team

Discount brokers such as Zerodha and 5Paisa.com already have ultra-cost pricing models with zero brokerage and flat fees of as low as Rs 10 for intra-day trades in the cash and derivatives space

The entry of Bajaj Finserve’s fully owned subsidiary Bajaj Financial Securities (BFSL) into the zero-brokerage bandwagon — for an annual subscription fee of Rs 500 — has intensified competition in the cut-throat broking space.

Besides zero brokerage, it is offering multi-platform trading, call, and trade facility and leverage of up to 20x. While aggressive pricing isn’t a new phenomenon in the Rs 18,000-crore domestic broking space, Bajaj Finserv’s huge success in the consumer finance business and deep pockets has sparked competitive fears among incumbents.

Discount brokers such as Zerodha and 5Paisa.com already have ultra-cost pricing models with zero brokerage, and