Depository
Reviewed by FOLO Editorial · Last reviewed August 6, 2026
A depository is the institution that holds securities in electronic form on behalf of investors. India has two: NSDL and CDSL. They maintain the record of who owns what, issue the Consolidated Account Statement, and settle trades between buyers and sellers.
Every demat account sits with one of the two depositories, decided by the broker used to open it. Investors rarely interact with the depository directly, but it is the depository's records, not the broker's app, that form the legal record of ownership.
Written and reviewed by FOLO Editorial. Educational content, not investment advice.