ICICI Securities Limited is a leading distributor of financial products such as Mutual Funds (MFs), Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), National Pension Scheme (NPS), Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs), RBI bonds, Corporate Fixed Deposits (CFD), REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), Protection and Loan Products. The Company operates a network of 134 branches and has offices of its wholly owned subsidiary in US and Singapore.
ICICI Securities Limited was incorporated on March 9, 1995 as 'ICICI Brokerage Services Limited', as a public limited company. The name of the Company was changed to 'ICICI Securities Limited' on March 26, 2007. The Company engaged in the business of broking (institutional and retail) including allied services of extending margin trade finance and ESOP finance, distribution of financial products, merchant banking and advisory services. ICICI Bank Limited, the holding company, owns 74.73 % of the Company's equity share capital as on March 31, 2024.
The Company has been the largest equity broker in India since fiscal 2014 by brokerage revenue and active customers in equities on the National Stock Exchange. The Company's retail brokerage and financial product distribution businesses empower its customers to access the Indian financial capital markets through their ICICIdirect platform and provide them with a seamless settlement process through a 3-in-1 account, which links its electronic brokerage platform with customers' savings bank and dematerialised accounts held with ICICI Bank. In addition to allowing its retail customers to carry out a variety of transactions, its electronic brokerage platform provides an integrated interface that allows the customers to track various portfolio parameters, including the performance of their investments. The company offers its retail customers a wide range of products and services in equities, derivatives and research, and it also distributes various third-party products including mutual funds, insurance products, fixed deposits, loans, tax services and pension products.
The Company provides domestic and foreign institutional investors with brokerage services, corporate access and equity research. It is empaneled with a large cross-section of institutional clients, including foreign institutional investors, who it services through dedicated sales teams. It offers customers a wide variety of advisory services, including financial planning, equity portfolio advisory, access to alternate investments, retirement planning and estate planning.
The Company's investment banking business offers equity capital markets services and other financial advisory services to corporate clients, the government and financial sponsors. The Equity capital markets services include management of public equity offerings, share buybacks, tender offers and equity private placements. The Company also provides its clients with financial advisory services in relation to domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private placements, and restructuring.
Prior to this, the Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of ICICI Bank Limited till March 30, 2018. The Company commenced the business operations on May 3, 1995. In 2000, the company launched its electronic brokerage platform ICICIdirect. In 2001, the company launched online mutual funds platform.
In 2002, the Company launched derivatives, Direct Link and Buy Today, Sell Tomorrow'. In 2003, Government of India Bonds were launched for trading on ICICIdirect platform. In 2005, the company expanded through ICICIdirect branches. In 2006, the company started distribution of health and life insurance products.
In 2007, the company launched overseas trading services. In 2008, the company launched On-the-move', a website, Active Trader Services and distribution of online insurance products. In 2009, the company launched online currency derivatives and private wealth management services.
In 2010, the company launched online National Pension System facilities, SIP in equity and F&O @ FingerTips' on ICICIdirect platform. During the year under review, ICICIdirect launched ICICI Centre for Financial Learning.
In 2011, the company launched life time prepaid brokerage plans, facility for filing income tax returns online, my GTC' (good till cancelled) under the equity cash product, Target Investment Plans, online document storage services and Webetorial' online tutorial programs.
In 2012, the company launched SPAN based margining for futures and options in the derivatives market, eLearn for stock market entrants, Shares as Margin in the equity segment and equity relationship services on ICICIdirect platform. In 2013, the company launched inflation indexed national savings securities - cumulative, e-voting facility, investment advisory services and Flexi Cash facilities on ICICIdirect platform.
In 2014, the company launched equity-linked debentures (structured products), facilities for auto renewal of SIPs, consolidated portfolio statement, and iGain Brokerage' on ICICIdirect platform. During the year under review, the company announced the extension of its FuturePLUS products with normal margin and stop loss margin for non-resident Indians in the derivatives segments on NSE. During the year under review, the company launched CIBIL TransUnion Score and the CIBIL report on ICICIdirect platform.
In 2015, the company launched Insta accounts' facility, Track and Act' robo advisory platform and bullet trade' facility on ICICIdirect platform. In 2016, the company launched equity advised portfolio services, cloud orders for equity segments, price improvement orders, VTC (Valid Till Cancel) Future Square off orders and portfolio X-ray reports.
In 2017, the company launched investment in AIFs on a private placement basis on ICICIdirect platform, margin trading facility, funding of employee stock option schemes, factor based portfolios (developed by MSCI), overseas trading facility (through a strategic partnership with an online multi-asset trading and investment platform) and multi price order' in the equity segment. During the year under review, the company introduced One Click Investment' for investment in mutual funds on ICICIdirect platform.
The Company launched proprietary Portfolio Management Service (PMS) in FY 2019, offering a wide range of PMS strategies across market capitalization and investment. It launched an innovative product for retail customers to address their immediate liquidity
requirement.
In FY 2020, the Company launched One Click Investment Plan, a simplified research-based portfolio of MFs, ETFs, and stocks. It launched Automated Integrated Portfolio Evaluation, which provides a consolidated view of a client's portfolio, with risk behavior and advisory.
In FY 2021, the Company had launched Premium Portfolio product. It launched a comprehensive portfolio analysis tool during FY 2021.
It launched commodity derivatives trading. It scaled up distribution of loan products by adding 12 more offerings like Home Loans, Loan against Property (LAP), Lease Rental Discounting (LRD), Business Loans etc.
At March 31, 2022, the Company has two subsidiaries (including step-down subsidiary) viz, ICICI Securities, Inc.; and ICICI Securities Holdings, Inc. (subsidiary of ICICI Securities, Inc.)
In 2023, the Company launched a new PMS portfolio - 'Sterling'. Further, it launched a LIFEY' as a digital assistant to facilitate investors in selecting investment options and launched the higher-end version - Premium Portfolios.