01 · ACCESS
Stocks Available
Direct
Entire US stock market, plus ETFs
GIFT City
50 stocks
today — plan to expand to 100 & add popular ETFs
Why it matters: Direct brokerage gives unrestricted stock-picking; GIFT City's curated list is expanding but still a fraction of the US market.
02 · STRUCTURE
Ownership
Direct
Direct ownership of stocks
GIFT City
Ownership via UDRs — underlying stock held by a US custodian
Why it matters: UDRs are a receipt representing the stock, not the stock itself — an extra custodial layer sits between you and the shares.
03 · CAPS
Investment Limits
Direct
$250,000/yr
LRS limit for residents · no limit for NRIs
GIFT City
Same limits as the direct route
Why it matters: The RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme caps resident outflows the same way on both routes.
04 · TAX
Taxation
Direct
Capital gains & dividends taxed per country-of-residence rules
GIFT City
Same as direct — plus an additional service charge on dividends
Why it matters: Tax treatment is identical, but GIFT City layers on a dividend service charge that direct holdings don't carry.
05 · SPEED
Settlement
Direct
T+1
one business day after trade
GIFT City
T+3
three business days after trade
Why it matters: GIFT City settlement takes 3x longer — funds and shares stay locked up for longer after every trade.
06 · DEPTH
Liquidity
Direct
High liquidity in the US market
GIFT City
Limited vs. direct trading — improves if converted to the underlying US stock
Why it matters: Thinner GIFT City order books can widen the gap between the price you want and the price you get.
07 · FEES
Costs Involved
Direct
0.15–0.25%
brokerage per trade + currency conversion charges
GIFT City
Currency conversion charges + brokerage (zero-brokerage available with some brokers)
Why it matters: GIFT City can undercut direct brokerage on trading fees, even as it adds a dividend service charge elsewhere.
08 · OVERSIGHT
Regulatory Protection
Direct
Not subject to Indian regulations
GIFT City
Regulated by the IFSCA, under the Indian government
Why it matters: GIFT City sits inside an Indian regulatory perimeter (IFSCA); a direct US broker answers to US regulators only.
09 · COVER
Insurance Coverage
Direct
$500,000
SIPC cover per broker per investor — cash & securities
GIFT City
None
Why it matters: SIPC cover is a direct-brokerage-only safety net — GIFT City UDR holdings carry no equivalent protection.
10 · CUSTODY
Segregation of Holdings
Direct
Stocks & cash held in broker pool accounts
GIFT City
Stocks held in the investor's own demat account, as in India
Why it matters: GIFT City's demat structure keeps holdings in your own name — pool accounts commingle assets with the broker's.
11 · OUTCOME
Returns
Direct
Market-based returns
GIFT City
May diverge from market returns — liquidity, bid-ask spread & dividend service charge all take a bite
Why it matters: Structural frictions unique to GIFT City can make realised returns drift from the raw market number.