Nithin Kamath, co-founder of inventory broking platform Zerodha, has highlighted that the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is a big price for merchants, affecting buying and selling volumes in numerous markets.
In a put up on the social media platform X, Kamath wrote, “Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is the most important tax that merchants pay, and it is a lot larger than brokerage charges. At Zerodha, the STT we gather and move on to the federal government is larger than the brokerage we earn.”
Stating the surge in choices volumes attributable to STT, which is a direct tax utilized to every buy and sale of securities listed in inventory exchanges, he famous, “Buying and selling volumes are extremely delicate to the STT. The extent of STT additionally impacts whether or not merchants commerce extra in money equities, futures, or choices. There’s a variety of concern that Indian choices volumes have exploded; I do not assume it will be a stretch to say that STT is an enormous issue on this.”
Position of premium worth
He asserted that the STT calculated primarily based on the premium has precipitated this surge in choices when in comparison with the contract worth.
“Till 2008, the STT on choices was primarily based on contract worth, making it unattainable for anybody to commerce choices. After that, STT was charged on the premium, and choices turned cheaper in comparison with futures, and volumes shot up,” Kamath famous.
Technique to extend money and futures buying and selling volumes
Based on him, regardless that STT charges have led to elevated choices buying and selling, lowered tax, and elevated intraday leverage may gain advantage money and futures buying and selling volumes.
“We have had a number of STT adjustments through the years. This has had a extra important influence on money and futures than on choices as a result of STT was on premium worth, and on money/futures, it was on complete worth. And sure, the introduction of weekly expiry and restriction on intraday leverage for shares added a variety of gas to the hearth of possibility buying and selling volumes,” Kamath wrote.
He additional added, “so yeah, I want we had no STT, however I assume that is not an answer. But when STT had been introduced down for money and futures and intraday leverage had been elevated (from the minimal 20% now to as a lot as futures), I feel the buying and selling volumes in money and futures would mechanically go up. It’s a a lot better technique to extend money/futures volumes than to scale back buying and selling volumes in choices.”
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