Paasa is a global investing platform for Indian residents and NRIs, with shares held in your own name and the LRS, FX and tax paperwork handled for you. Vested Finance offers US stocks through its own US broker-dealer, plus global funds and pre-IPO deals, from tiny amounts. Choose Paasa to invest across global markets with exchange-listed UCITS ETFs and have the paperwork handled. Choose Vested Finance for small, US-only investing and private-market deals.
How do Paasa and Vested Finance compare for US stocks at a glance?
The table compares Paasa and Vested Finance as of October 2026, from their own pages.
| Feature | Paasa | Vested Finance |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Global investing platform built on an IBKR account | US investing platform for Indian investors, with its own US broker-dealer |
| Who holds your shares | Interactive Brokers LLC, in an account in your own name | DriveWealth LLC carries the account and holds the securities |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to $500,000 plus Lloyd's excess up to $30 million, on your own account | SIPC up to $500,000 per account. Not for its Luxembourg fund units |
| Markets | 10 markets, each in its home currency | US exchanges plus US-listed OTC shares and ADRs, in USD |
| What you can buy | 15,000+ tickers, exchange-listed UCITS ETFs, SIPs | 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs, active UCITS funds, pre-IPO deals, SIPs. UCITS ETFs not yet live |
| Minimum | $100 first deposit, no minimum per trade | Fractional US shares from $0.01, global funds from $10 |
| Brokerage | 0.10% plus $0.15 per order, min $0.50, max $50. No monthly fee | A percentage of trade value with a cap, lower on its Premium plan |
| Currency conversion | Partner-bank preferred rates, 0.03% at mid-market in-account | Your bank's rate, HDFC and Axis as partner banks. Withdrawals charged each time |
| Tax reports | Schedule CG, FA, OS/FSI, Form 67, ITR-2 checklist, Form 1042-S | Schedules CG/OS, FA, FSI, TR and Form 67 summaries, ClearTax import |
| Advice and support | SEBI-registered advice and a relationship manager on Apex | Managed portfolios via its SEC-registered adviser. Help portal, weekdays |
What is Paasa, and what is Vested Finance?
Paasa is a global investing platform for Indian investors, built on Interactive Brokers. A Paasa account is an IBKR account opened in the investor's own name. Paasa adds Indian onboarding, LRS and FX support, INR tax reports and SEBI-registered advice.
Vested Finance is a US investing platform for Indian investors. Its US stocks and ETFs are offered by VF Securities Inc, a FINRA-member broker-dealer. Vested Finance Inc, an SEC-registered adviser, runs its managed portfolios and private-market deals.
Who holds my shares on Paasa and on Vested Finance?
Both give you an individual US brokerage account. On Paasa, Interactive Brokers LLC holds your shares in an account in your own name. On Vested Finance, VF Securities Inc offers the account and DriveWealth LLC carries it and holds the securities.
A Paasa account carries SIPC protection up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash, plus Lloyd's excess cover up to $30 million. If Paasa ever shut down, the assets would stay at IBKR in your name. See how your money is held and protected with Paasa.
Vested Finance accounts carry SIPC cover up to $500,000 per account. Its global fund units sit in Luxembourg, and Vested Finance states that SIPC does not apply to them.
What does each cost on a US trade?
Paasa charges per trade with no plan fee, and Vested Finance per trade on a free or paid plan. Paasa's figures are from its pricing page, October 2026.
Paasa's Access plan has no monthly fee. US brokerage is 0.10% of trade value plus $0.15 per order, with a $0.50 minimum and a $50 maximum. A $2,000 order costs $2.15 and a $10,000 order $10.15. In-account currency conversion costs 0.03%, minimum $2, at the mid-market rate. Apex adds advice for 1% a year plus GST from $50,000, 0.7% from $100,000 and 0.5% from $500,000.
Vested Finance charges a percentage of trade value with a per-trade cap, lower on its Premium plan, and a higher uncapped rate on OTC shares. On both, currency conversion is usually the larger cost, and that is where Paasa's partner-bank rates count. Compare your typical ticket with Paasa's brokerage calculator and the all-in cost comparison.
How do I send money from India to Paasa or Vested Finance?
Both are funded with an LRS remittance from an Indian bank. The RBI lets each resident remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year (RBI). Tax Collected at Source (TCS) applies at 20% on investment remittances above ₹10 lakh in a financial year (Income Tax Department TCS rates). TCS is not a fee. It is adjusted or refunded when you file your return.
With Paasa, partner banks HDFC, ICICI, Axis and Kotak offer preferred FX rates. Paasa pre-fills Form A2 and Forms 15CA/CB and earns nothing on FX. Withdrawals go out in any currency to any account in your name. With Vested Finance, you transfer from any Indian bank, with HDFC and Axis as partner banks, and each withdrawal is charged by amount and currency. Paasa's LRS guide and TCS guide cover the steps.
Which markets and products can I buy on each?
Paasa reaches 10 markets, and Vested Finance the US. Paasa covers 15,000+ tickers across the US, UK, Switzerland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada and Singapore, each in its home currency. It adds exchange-listed UCITS ETFs in whole units or fractions, SIPs, and stop and trailing-stop orders.
Vested Finance offers 10,000+ US stocks and ETFs with extended hours, fractions from $0.01, SIPs, US-listed OTC shares and ADRs, 350+ active global funds from $10, pre-IPO deals and INR bonds. Its UCITS ETFs are announced but not live as of October 2026, with no non-US exchanges.
What do I get at tax time from Paasa and from Vested Finance?
Both send Indian tax paperwork, and the two are close. Each financial year, Paasa provides Schedule CG, FA and OS/FSI, Form 67, an ITR-2 checklist and Form 1042-S, all in INR. Paasa's capital gains guide, Schedule FA guide and Paasa Tax cover the details.
Vested Finance provides Schedules CG/OS, FA, FSI and TR with Form 67 summaries, plus a ClearTax import and tax-loss harvesting. The Indian rules are the same on both. Gains on US shares held over 24 months are taxed at 12.5%, shorter holdings at your slab rate. The US withholds 25% on dividends with a W-8BEN on file, claimable through Form 67.
What is day-to-day use like on Paasa and on Vested Finance?
Paasa is built around one global account with human support, and Vested Finance around a US account with many products. On Paasa, uninvested USD above $10,000 earns interest, up to 3.38% a year as of October 2026. Paasa's team answers by email and WhatsApp on weekdays, and Apex clients get a relationship manager.
On Vested Finance, US stocks, global funds, pre-IPO deals and INR bonds sit in one app. Support runs through a help portal on weekdays.
When is Vested Finance the better choice?
Vested Finance may suit you better than Paasa if:
- You want to start small, with fractional US shares from $0.01.
- You want pre-IPO deals, which Paasa does not offer.
- You prefer active global funds over index ETFs.
Should I choose Paasa or Vested Finance?
Choose Paasa to invest across global markets with exchange-listed UCITS ETFs and have the LRS, FX and tax paperwork handled. Choose Vested Finance for US-only investing from tiny amounts and access to private markets.
| If you want… | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Exchange-listed UCITS ETFs | Paasa |
| UK, European, Hong Kong or Japanese stocks in their home currency | Paasa |
| Advice and a relationship manager from $50,000 | Paasa (Apex) |
| To diversify RSUs held at a US broker | Paasa |
| Fractional US shares from $0.01 | Vested Finance |
| Pre-IPO deals and actively managed global funds | Vested Finance |
Already on Vested Finance? Paasa accepts in-kind ACATS transfers of US stocks and ETFs, with purchase dates and prices preserved. Fractional shares are sold first, and the sending broker may charge its own transfer-out fee, as Paasa's transfer guide explains. Many investors keep Vested Finance for private-market deals and Paasa for everything else.
How does Paasa help investors coming from Vested Finance?
- Paasa opens the IBKR account in your own name, with SIPC and Lloyd's excess protection.
- Paasa offers exchange-listed UCITS ETFs today, plus nine markets beyond the US.
- Paasa's Apex plan adds SEBI-registered advice and a relationship manager.
Disclosures
Advisory services are offered by Arc Spire Advisory Private Limited, a SEBI Registered Non-Individual Investment Adviser, INA000021058. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. This article is not tax advice. Consult a qualified tax adviser for your situation.
