Vested Finance

Vested Finance operates an online investment platform through which Indian investors and non-resident Indians (NRIs) can access more than 10,000 US-listed stocks and ETFs. Users open a US brokerage account through a digital KYC flow in which they declare nationality and tax residency, transfer USD from a foreign or Indian bank account, and then trade. Securities are offered through VF Securities, Inc., a FINRA/SIPC member, while curated portfolios (marketed as "Vests") are powered by Vested Finance, Inc., described on the company site as an SEC-registered investment adviser. The company notes that alternative investment products offered elsewhere on its site are outside the FINRA-regulated and SIPC-protected US stock and ETF offering.

Platform features include extended-hours trading (an additional 9.5 hours per trading day), stock analysis tools covering financial data, analyst ratings and earnings reports, recurring SIPs (systematic investment plans) for US stocks, a returns calculator with INR-adjusted results, and account continuity for users who relocate back to India. The company also publishes educational content on US markets and provides localized tax filing reports; a separate "Vested content" login exists alongside the main investing application.

The name "Vested Finance" has also been attached to an earlier Austin, Texas FinTech founded in early 2015 by Lorne Abony that focused on equity financing (income share agreements) for higher education, backed by a $5M seed round led by Sandleigh Ventures. Coverage of the US-stock investing platform describes it as California-headquartered and led by co-founder and CEO Viram Shah; the sources provided do not explain the relationship between the two descriptions.

Founding story

A 2015 press release states Vested Finance was founded in early 2015 by entrepreneur Lorne Abony to address the US student debt crisis, with the idea originating when a family friend offered to invest in Abony's education in exchange for a share of his future earnings. Separately, the US-stock investing platform is described in 2022 coverage as co-founded and led by CEO Viram Shah, who framed the mission as removing the geographic barriers that limit access to global wealth-creation opportunities.

Business model

The platform intermediates cross-border retail investing: it onboards Indian residents and NRIs into US brokerage accounts, facilitates USD funding from Indian or foreign bank accounts, and offers execution in US stocks and ETFs plus curated portfolios. Press coverage describes it as a zero-commission investment platform, and the company also distributes through tie-ups with Indian brokers, fintechs and wealth managers.

Not specified in the sources; the platform is described in press coverage as zero-commission for Indian investors, and one customer testimonial refers to commission-free brokerage.

Traction

The company stated it processed over $250 million in transactions during 2021 and tripled platform deposits in the same year, and that it had tie-ups with more than 35 brokers, fintechs and wealth management firms in India, including Axis Securities, Kuvera, Angel Broking and 5Paisa.

Latest developments

The most recent dated development in the sources is the April 2022 Series A. The live website markets access to 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs, extended-hours trading, recurring SIPs, curated Vests and account flexibility for investors returning to India, with a returns calculator referencing periods through July 2026.