Is forex trading legal in India? (2024)

Dear Sir/Maam,I want to know that investing in forex trading or future currency trading legal in India?So far I know that USD, EUR, GPB, YEN paired with INR was allowed. I read that few years back RBI allowed USD, EUR, GPB & YEN without paring with INR also.So is it legal to trade these currency pairs and can we trade on platforms like www.etoro.comIt would be really helpful if you can let me know. No one was able to give me clear answer so far. Few say its legal, others say illegal and some told me that its a grey area.Best Regards,

Asked 5 years ago in Civil Law

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Trading through online brokers in Foreign Currency may lead to violation of FEMA. ( Foreign Exchange Management Act ).

2)Reserve Bank of India issued Circular No. 46, RBI/2013-14/265 A.P. (DIR Series) ,dated 17/09/ 2013,prohibiting overseas foreign exchange trading through electronic/internet trading portals and further clarified in the notification that anyone caught dealing in overseas foreign exchange trading would make himself/ herself / themselves liable to be proceeded against with for contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 besides being liable for violation of regulations relating to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms / Anti Money Laundering (AML) standards any kind of transactions in virtual currency is prohibited in India.

Ajay Sethi

Advocate, Mumbai

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Forex trading is not completely illegal in India, but it is restricted to certain currencies, which are paired against the INR as well as some of the 'cross currencies'. In India, you can trade within the brackets of USD-INR, YEN- INR, GBP- INR and EUR-INR pairs. In cross currencies, you can trade within EUR-USD, GBP-USD, and the USD- JPY pairs.

Mohammed Mujeeb

Advocate, Hyderabad

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it is not illegal

you can trade

but there is no regulatory body like SEBI which safeguards interests of investors

so all the bourses or exchanges dealing in forex trading carry on their business without any government regulations

in case of any dispute with the exchanges, the investor cannot seek protection or relief from regulatory bodies like SEBI

he will have to file a civil suit against the exchange

  • Talk to Advocate Yusuf Rampurawala

Forex trading is legal in India and it is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India so far any Forex trading you have to take the licence from Reserve Bank of India and maintain the record as per the guidelines

Vimlesh Prasad Mishra

Advocate, Lucknow

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See forex trading is legal in our country though it is regulated by the RBI, the FEMA.

So there are pairs of curriencies against our currency you can trade in.

Shubham Jhajharia

Advocate, Ahmedabad

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Forex trading is, of course, legal in India if it is done through a registered Indian Forex broker. The central authorities that regulate forex trading in India are the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In India, currency pairs like US Dollar and INR, Euro and INR, Great Britain Pound and INR, JPY and INR, etc. are all legal. Forex trading in India is legal if the base currency is INR. A Forex trade that happens between two foreign currencies is considered illegal in India and Indian citizens are not allowed to trade foreign currencies overseas both directly and indirectly.

In order to start Forex trading in India, an individual has to open a Forex trading account with a SEBI registered Forex broker in India. Once the account is set up he\she can start trading currencies in the Forex market.

Siddharth Jain

Advocate, New Delhi

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Hello,

Its perfectlylegaltotradeanything withIndianExchanges(NSE, BSE, MCX-SX) offeringForexInstruments Currently USDINR, GBPINR, JPYINR, EURINR). Itsillegalbecause so far RBI restricted totradein any kind of overseas margintradingsegment. You can invest elsewere in the overseas segment except margintrading.

As far as I know ShareKhn gives you the platform for Forex trading as well

Regards

Anilesh Tewari

Advocate, New Delhi

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Yes it's legal and any site which deals in the same will deduct the tax and pay to you.

Prashant Nayak

Advocate, Mumbai

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-A Forex tradebetween two foreign currencies isillegal in India.

- Indians are allowed totrade "Rupee-Dollar" in optionsmarketin domestic stock exchanges but not allowed to send rupee to International countries totrade.

- In India , this trading is legal if the base currency is Indian Rupees and furtherif it is done through registered Indian Fox brokers.

- Forex Brokers can be registered from SEBI.

- ONLY four currency pairs can be legally traded in India. Those are:

  • USD/INR
  • EUR/INR
  • GBP/INR
  • JPY/INR

Mohammed Shahzad

Advocate, Delhi

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InIndia, Foreign Exchange or Forex trading is not allowed. If someone is found trading Forex instruments on the Forex market by the Reserve Bank of India’s representatives, he/she is immediately charged of violation of law. Hence it is legally a crime to involve in Forex trading and thecharges of the crime are imprisonment in jail in this country.The offence is considered immense, the prediction of intensity can be deduced from this fact that it has been labeled to be non-bailable.

However itis legaltotrade forexwithIndianExchanges like NSE, BSE, MCX-SX where they currently offer 4 pairs(USD INR, JPY INR, GBP INR, EUR INR) in Derivatives (Futures and Options Segment).

So if you are trading with Indian Brokers whom have membership with the above mentioned Indian Exchanges it is perfectly legal.

And Also it is perfectly legal for Indian Retail traders toinvest in overseas equity markets. But margin trading in overseas is suppose to be illegal as per RBI regulation guidelines.

T Kalaiselvan

Advocate, Vellore

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Hello

forex trading is legal in India, only if it is done through registered Indian forex brokers.

In India,forex trading is legalif the base currency is INR. A forex trade between two foreign currencies is illegal in India. This means if a forex trader does overseasforex trading from India, then it is illegal for Indian citizens. As Indian citizens are not allowed to send funds to overseas foreign exchange brokers both directly and indirectly.

Regards

No Indian citizen can undertakeforex trading in Indiathrough any electronic or online trading platform. The Reserve Bank of India had issued a circular in 2013 prohibiting overseas forex trading through electronic or internet trading portals.

Forex trading is legal only when done through forex trading platform. A forex trader who is found to be indulged in electronic or online overseas forex trading would be held guilty of violating the foreign exchange laws in India.

Under theForeign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, FEMA act forex trading has the provision of sending such jail or fined. An important thing to note here is that NRIs are not prohibited from trading in foreign currencies.

Forex trading is legal in Indiaas far as it includes Indian Rupee as the base currency, but is a risky trade and must be done after consultation.

Rahul Mishra

Advocate, Lucknow

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Dear Sir,

InIndia,Foreign ExchangeorForex tradingis not allowed. ... However it islegaltotrade forexwithIndianExchanges like NSE, BSE, MCX-SX where they currently offer 4 pairs(USDINR, JPYINR, GBPINR, EURINR) in Derivatives

Netravathi Kalaskar

Advocate, Bengaluru

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Is forex trading legal in India? (2024)

FAQs

Is forex trading legal in India? ›

Yes, forex trading in India is legal – albeit with strict limitations and restrictions. Forex traders in India cannot speculate on forex prices or engage in spot forex trading in India, even when using a SEBI-regulated broker.

Is forex trading illegal in India? ›

In India, however, forex trading platforms are outlawed. While currency trading is not possible on the foreign exchange market, it is possible on the stock exchange. The Foreign Exchange Management Act makes binary trading illegal (FEMA). While dealing in foreign currency is legal, there are several restrictions.

How can I legally start forex trading in India? ›

Conclusion. Forex trading is not illegal, but SEBI and RBI highly regulate it. You can only trade in four currency pairs with the INR as the base or the quote currency. You also need to use a SEBI-registered broker or an authorised dealer to trade legally in forex in India.

Which forex pairs are legal in India? ›

Currency Pairs Allowed in India

In India, the major currency pairs include, Indian Currency Pairs- USD-INR, EUR-INR, GBP-INR, JPY-INR and Cross Currency Pairs- EUR-USD, GBP-USD, and USD-JPY.

Is forex trading risky in India? ›

You can buy USD/Indian Rupee futures. On the other hand, if you expect the INR to strengthen against the US Dollar, you can sell US Dollar/Indian Rupee futures. However, it needs to be understood that Forex trading is not for everyone. It comes with a high level of risk.

What is punishment for forex trading in India? ›

Violations, such as trading in unapproved currency pairs or using illegal platforms, can result in fines up to Rs 10,000 per day, along with potential imprisonment for up to five years. To safeguard against legal repercussions, it's crucial for you to conduct thorough research and select SEBI-registered brokers.

Why forex is not popular in India? ›

Limited Market Access for Indian Traders

One of the biggest issues Indian forex traders deal with is limited market access. There exist some limitations imposed by the Indian government on the quantity of cash that may be imported and exported from the country. These regulations may restrict a trader's choices.

Is forex trading taxable in India? ›

What taxes apply to forex trading? According to section 1256, 60% of your annual earnings are consistently taxed at a fixed rate of 15%. However, the remaining 40% is subject to taxation, which may vary based on your income status.

How much forex can I bring to India? ›

There's no limit, however, to how much foreign currency you can bring into India. Although, you will have to declare it if the amount exceeds US$5,000 in notes and coins, or US$10,000 in notes, coins, and traveller's cheques².

Who is the king of forex trading in India? ›

Shashikant Sharma became the wealthiest Forex trader in India at 34. His journey began as a 22-year-old and followed the same path most traders can relate to. He browsed the internet and came across an article covering Forex. It intrigued him enough to start his Forex journey.

How many forex brokers banned in India? ›

RBI's list of 75 unauthorized forex trading platforms; How to check authorised list - The Economic Times.

Which forex broker is illegal in India? ›

The other entities added to the list are Admiral Market, BlackBull, Easy Markets, Enclave FX, Finowiz Fintech, FX SmartBull, Fx Tray Market, Forex4you, Growing Capital Services, and HF Markets. Other platforms are HYCM Capital Markets, JGCFX, PU Prime, Real Gold Capital, TNFX, Ya Markets, and Gate Trade.

Which currency is best to trade in India? ›

Currency trading, also known as foreign exchange or foreign exchange trading, involves buying and selling currencies from different countries to make a profit. The US Dollar is the most widely traded currency in India, and the other currencies traded are the Euro, Japanese Yen, and British Pound.

How much do forex traders make a month? ›

Forex Trader Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$192,500$16,041
75th Percentile$181,000$15,083
Average$101,533$8,461
25th Percentile$57,500$4,791

Is my forex funds banned in India? ›

Conclusion. In conclusion, forex funds are legal in India, provided that investors comply with the regulations and guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and adhere to the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

How much can forex traders make a day? ›

On average, a forex trader can make anywhere between $500 to $2,000 per day. However, this figure can vary significantly depending on market conditions, trading strategy, and risk management techniques. Some traders may make more than $2,000 in a single day, while others may make less or even incur losses.

Which forex broker is banned in India? ›

The other websites/platforms named by RBI include Enclave Fx, Finowiz Fintech, FX SmartBull, Fx Tray Market, GoDo Fx, Growing Capital, HF Markets, HYCM Capital Markets, PU Prime, Real Gold, TNFX, and Ya Markets.

Can we withdraw money from forex in India? ›

However, if you want to withdraw money from your forex trading account, you will have to fill out a form which is available online with your forex broker. If your bank account is linked to your forex trading account (and it likely will be), you can make a request for funds to be credited directly to your bank account.

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