VOLUNTARY FREEZING/BLOCKING
OF THE ONLINE TRADING
ACCOUNT POLICY
Version 1.1
Zerodha Broking Limited
Document Control
Information:
Document Classification Version Status
Voluntary Freezing/Blocking Of The Public 1.1 Approved
Online Trading Account Policy
Version History, Verification and Approval:
Date Version Description Owner Approved By
of Change
August 1, 2022 (Date of 1.0 1st Policy Shankar Naraya… Venu Madhav
preparation) prepared
August 1, 2022 1.0 1st Policy Shankar Naraya… Venu Madhav
(Policy adoption) Adopted
August 1, 2023 1.0 No changes Shankar Naraya… Venu Madhav
(Review)
June 1, 2024 1.1 Updates Shankar Naraya… Venu Madhav
(Review)
Distribution List:
Sl. No. Departments Involved
1 Risk Management Team
2 DP Team
3 Legal Team
4 Support Team
5 Escalation Team
6 Technology Team
7 Process Team
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 2
Zerodha Broking Limited
Table of Contents
Document Control.................................................................................................................. 2
Information:........................................................................................................................ 2
Version History, Verification and Approval:.........................................................................2
Distribution List:..................................................................................................................2
Table of Contents................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction........................................................................................................................ 4
2. Purpose............................................................................................................................... 4
3. Scope and Applicability.....................................................................................................5
4. Periodic Review..................................................................................................................5
3. Procedure to Freeze/Block the Online Trading Account................................................ 5
3.1 Timelines...................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Mediums.......................................................................................................................6
3.3 Verification (Mandatory)............................................................................................... 6
3.4 Basic Checks & Initial Steps (Mandatory).................................................................... 7
4. Procedure to Unfreeze/Unblock the Online Trading Account........................................8
5. Clarifications...................................................................................................................... 8
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 3
Zerodha Broking Limited
1. Introduction
This policy (v 1.1) has been revised as per the SEBI Circular no.
SEBI/HO/MIRSD/POD-1/P/CIR/2024/4 dated January 12, 2024 and Exchange
Circular no. NSE/INSP/60277 dated January 16, 2024 on the subject “Ease of
Doing Investments by Investors - Facility of voluntary freezing/ blocking of
Trading Accounts by Clients”.
Accordingly, this document has been derived from the framework presented by
the exchange in response to the aforementioned circulars, via the Exchange
Circular no.: NSE/INSP/61529 dated April 08, 2024 on the subject: “Framework
for Trading Members to provide the facility of voluntary freezing/blocking the
online access of the trading account to their clients”.
This document is a handbook for the clientele of Zerodha Broking Limited
(hereinafter referred to as Zerodha), outlining the process and mode(s) through
which they can request to freeze / block & unfreeze/unblock their trading
account. Other details, such as the timelines, clients’ onuses, etc., to facilitate
the same are also mentioned.
2. Purpose
The procedures outlined herein are per regulatory requirements in the
aforementioned circulars. All clients are requested to note that the forthcoming
guidelines are issued to facilitate the freezing/blocking of their respective
online trading accounts upon explicit requests from the client’s end in case they
notice any suspicious activity on their trading accounts.
A few instances of suspicious activities would include:
● Fresh positions being taken without the client’s knowledge or action.
● Holdings being sold without the client’s knowledge or action.
● A client is unable to access his/her account.
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 4
Zerodha Broking Limited
● A client notices a change in their linked bank account/ email/ mobile
number without them having placed a request.
● A share transfer via gift/ easiest is initiated without the client’s
knowledge or action.
3. Scope and Applicability
The policy statements written in this document apply to all of Zerodha’s
resources at all levels of sensitivity; including:
● All the clients of Zerodha.
● All employees who are part of the relevant teams at Zerodha.
4. Periodic Review
This document essentially helps curb clients' risk and hence forms an integral part
of Zerodha’s internal Risk Management Policy. As such, it shall be reviewed every
year unless an earlier review is necessary to ensure that the policy remains
updated as per regulatory changes. Changes to this policy shall be exclusively
performed by the document owner and approved by Management. A change log
shall be kept current and updated as soon as any change has been made.
3. Procedure to Freeze/Block the Online Trading Account
3.1 Timelines
In line with regulatory requirements, upon the explicit request from a client to
block the online access to their trading account through any of the modes
mentioned in the forthcoming sections, all efforts will be taken by Zerodha
Personnel to fulfill the request as per the below timelines:
a. For requests received within trading hours, all efforts shall be taken to
block the account within 15 min.
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 5
Zerodha Broking Limited
b. For requests received after trading hours up until 15 minutes before the
market opening time, all efforts will be taken to block the account before
the start of the next trading session.
3.2 Mediums
Clients can report suspicious activities on their trading account via the
following mediums:
a. By mailing on the dedicated email ID: stoptrade@zerodha.com
b. By raising tickets via Zerodha’s official Support Portal.
c. By calling the dedicated number: +91-8046801166 (between 8:30 am
and 5:00 pm)
3.3 Verification (Mandatory)
● Requests raised on calls
○ Clients should call the dedicated number, +91- 8046801166, from
their registered phone numbers (number registered with Zerodha).
○ Please note that stringent identity verification will be conducted
before considering any client’s block requests. Hence, all clients
are requested to keep all basic Personal Identification Information
(PII) handy to facilitate the smooth and fast processing of
requests. It is also recommended that clients keep their support
code memorized/handy, as this would serve as additional
two-factor authentication.
● Requests raised via the Support Portal or dedicated Email
○ Clients are recommended to mail from their registered email
address (email ID registered with Zerodha).
○ Clients are requested to give relevant and detailed information
regarding the suspicious activity they have noticed on their trading
accounts.
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 6
Zerodha Broking Limited
○ Clients who have raised block requests via tickets or by mail shall
receive a call back promptly from Zerodha personnel. Hence, they
are advised to answer the call without fail.
3.4 Basic Checks & Initial Steps (Mandatory)
Zerodha personnel would ask a series of questions (basic checks) to
understand the gravity of any request received. These queries would relate to
the existing positions in the client’s account, inadvertent sharing of login
credentials, OTPs, orders, devices used for trading, etc.
Clients are requested to kindly cooperate with the Zerodha personnel and
furnish all the information required, as this is essential for assessing the
situation of the trading accounts.
Zerodha's authorized personnel shall communicate to the client the details of
the client's existing open positions. Subsequently, the personnel will solicit
input from the client regarding their preferred course of action for these
positions. Upon the client's directive and subject to successful authentication
of the client, Zerodha will proceed to close the client's open positions and
cancel all open orders. In such instances, applicable call and trade charges will
be imposed.
Clients are requested to make an informed decision based on these
suggestions and communicate their decisions clearly and unequivocally so that
the Zerodha personnel can proceed with the blocking/freezing of their trading
accounts.
Following the basic checks, a ticket would be created (if not already raised)
against the client’s request and all responses would be made note of. Clients
would receive all further updates on their requests via the ticket thus created.
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 7
Zerodha Broking Limited
4. Procedure to Unfreeze/Unblock the Online Trading Account
● Clients can unfreeze/unblock their online trading accounts by raising a
request via any of the modes prescribed under section 3.2.
● Please note that the client must mandatorily complete the Re-KYC
procedure successfully to have their trading account
unfrozen/unblocked.
● Following the successful completion of the Re-KYC procedure and after
carrying out any other necessary due diligence, the client shall be
intimated via ticket/mail regarding the status of their request.
5. Clarifications
It is clarified that:
a. Freezing/blocking is only for online access to the client’s trading account,
and there shall be no restrictions on the Risk Management activities of
Zerodha.
b. The request for freezing/blocking does not constitute a request for
marking the client's Unique Client Code (UCC) as inactive in the
Exchange records.
--------------------------------- End of Document ----------------------------------
CIN: U655929KA2018PLC116815
Registered Office: 153/154,4 th Cross, Dollars Colony, JP Nagar 4 th Phase, Bangalore - 560078
Website: zerodha.com Email id: audit@zerodha.com Phone no: 080-4718-1888 8
