The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched an app and web-based platform, ‘NSE goBID’, for retail investors to buy government securities.
The new app would allow investors to invest in treasury bills (T-Bills) of 91 days, 182 days and 364 days and various government bonds from one year to almost 40 years, said a statement by the exchange.
The retail investors would be able to make payment directly from their bank accounts using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Internet banking, the statement added.
While investment could be done almost every week after a one-time registration, the app would be available to all investors registered with NSE’s trading members.
“The launch of NSE goBID for investing in government securities is a milestone at a time when India is seeing surge in digital payments,” said Ajay Tyagi, Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India.
“It is necessary to extend this technology for improving the penetration of the capital markets. The retail participation in government securities only started after SEBI allowed exchanges to set up non-competitive bidding platforms by exchanges,” added Mr. Tyagi.
The launch assumes significance as government securities are among the safer investment options available to retail investors as such securities are credit risk free instruments while providing portfolio diversification with longer investment durations.