#dematerialized

No, you cannot convert physical shares to demat in 2023. The deadline for converting physical shares to demat was March 31, 2023. After that date, companies and their RTAs (Registrars and Transfer Agents) will no longer be able to process requests for dematerialization of physical shares.

This was a mandatory requirement by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to promote a paperless environment in the Indian stock market. The deadline for the dematerialization of physical shares was extended several times in the past, but it was finally made mandatory on March 31, 2023.

If you still have physical shares, you will need to hold onto them as a physical asset. You will not be able to trade them on the stock exchange, and you will not receive any dividends or other benefits associated with the shares.

If you have any questions, please contact your broker or the RTA for the company whose shares you hold.

Here are some of the reasons why the deadline for the dematerialization of physical shares was made mandatory:

To reduce the risk of fraud and forgery.

To make it easier for investors to trade their shares.

To promote a paperless environment.

The shares will become worthless. This means that you will not be able to sell them, transfer them, or claim any dividends or other benefits.

The shares may be frozen by the company. This means that the company will not allow you to sell or transfer the shares, and you may not be able to claim any dividends or other benefits.

You may be treated as a Benami holder under the Benami Transactions (Prohibitions) Act, 1988. This means that you may be subject to penalties and fines.

In addition to these consequences, there are a few other things that you should be aware of if you have physical shares certficate:

You will not be able to vote at shareholder meetings. This means that you will not have a say in how the company is run.

You will not be able to benefit from corporate actions such as bonus shares or rights issues. This means that you will miss out on opportunities to increase your shareholding or acquire new shares at a discounted price.

If you have physical shares, it is important to convert them to demat form as soon as possible. This will ensure that you do not lose your investment and that you are able to participate fully in the market.

Here are some of the benefits of converting your physical shares to demat form:

Demat shares are more secure. They are held in electronic form in a depository, which is a regulated entity. This makes them less vulnerable to theft or loss.

Demat shares are more convenient to trade. They can be bought and sold online, which makes it easier for investors to participate in the market.

Demat shares are more efficient. They do not require the physical movement of certificates, which saves time and money.

If you are not sure how to convert your physical shares to demat form, you can contact your broker or a depository participant. They will be able to help you through the process.

No,  you cannot get physical shares in India. As of April 1, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has mandated that all shares must be held in Dematerialized (Demat) form. This means that shares must be held electronically in a Demat account, and cannot be held in physical form as certificates.

There are a few reasons for this mandate. First, it makes it easier to buy, sell, and transfer shares. When shares are held in Demat form, they can be traded online instantly, without the need to send physical certificates back and forth. This saves time and money.

Second, Demat accounts are more secure than physical certificates. Physical certificates can be lost or stolen, but Demat accounts are protected by passwords and other security measures.

Finally, Demat accounts are more environmentally friendly. There is no need to print and distribute physical certificates, which reduces paper waste.

If you have Physical Shares, you can convert them to a Demat form by contacting your broker or Demat account provider. The process is usually quick and easy.

Here are the steps on how to convert physical shares to Demat form:

Contact your broker or Demat account provider.

Provide them with the details of your physical shares, such as the company name, the number of shares, and the certificate numbers.

They will issue you a Demat account number.

Send them your physical share certificates.

Once they receive your physical share certificates, they will convert them to a Demat form and credit your Demat account with the shares.

Once your physical shares have been converted to Demat form, you can buy, sell, and transfer them online just like any other Demat share.

Since the introduction of Demat accounts and electronic share trading in India, the ownership of physical share certificates has steadily declined. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has even mandated that companies issue shares only in Dematerialized form and not as physical share certificates. You are probably asking yourself now, ‘What is Dematerialization?’, are not you? This is an important concept to be aware of, especially if you want to trade effectively in the lucrative stock market today. Since all the functions of trading and owning securities are happening online with the help of powerful portals and apps, you should be familiar with the concepts so that you know how to use the trading and investing world to your advantage. All investors trade and invest with the aim of making a profit, so it is best that you learn about all aspects of trading and investing in stocks. Read on to learn all about the concept of Dematerializing stocks.

What is Dematerialization?

The process of converting a company’s physical share certificates into an electronic form is commonly referred to as the Dematerialization of shares. These Dematerialized shares are then held in an online Demat account that you open with a custodian. In the current context of share trading, maximizing shares is mandatory to sell or transfer your shares to another account.

In the past, shares were held in physical form, which has been a challenge over time. Paper is fraying, and as the world has become online in most areas of life, why not in the area of investments and stock markets? Dematerialization has made investing easy, and you can easily open a Demat account with a bank or a good broker. Since all accounts are kept electronically, Demat accounts are linked to bank accounts and trading accounts so that trading transactions (buying and selling of stocks) can be done smoothly and seamlessly. Since investments in stocks are mainly made when lucrative opportunities arise, Demat accounts serve the purpose of quick trading with common trading accounts and bank accounts.

Advantages of Dematerialization of shares

Now that you know the answer to the question ‘What is Dematerialization?”, let us take a quick look at some of the benefits of Dematerializing stocks.

1. Increased security:

Since Dematerialization converts physical shares into electronic shares, you no longer have to worry about damage, mutilation, loss or theft of your share certificates. You can safely store all your shares in a single Demat account that you can access from almost anywhere in the world.

2. Enhanced security:

When physical stock certificates were used, there were many cases of forgery, fraud, and duplication. With Dematerialized shares, none of these incidents are possible anymore.

3. Facilitation of instant transfer:

With physical share certificates, transferring shares from one person to another would normally take days. But thanks to the Dematerialization of shares, the transfer of shares is now exceptionally easy and almost instantaneous.

4. Quick and easy transactions:

The entire process of opening Demat accounts for stock ownership has made the lives of investors and traders alike very easy and convenient. From keeping stocks safely in one place and getting a consolidated statement of all the securities you hold to the convenience of trading online through Demat accounts, investing is easy. Today, everyone from students to retirees invests in stocks through a simple Demat account linked to a trading account. You can operate both online and from anywhere, even when you are on vacation. The simplicity of trading with a Demat account offers tremendous opportunities to profit from price changes in the stock market and subsequently earn good returns.

The process of Dematerialization of securities

The process of the Dematerialization of stocks is quite simple and easy to understand. Moreover, it only takes a few days to complete. Here is a brief explanation of the process of the Dematerialized of shares.

First, you need to open a Demat account with a depository through a depository participant (DP). Usually, the stockbroker where you have a trading account also acts as DP.

Once you have opened a Demat account, you’ll need to submit a properly completed Dematerialization Request Form (DRF) to your DP along with the physical share certificates you hold.

If you own shares in more than one company, you must submit a duly completed DRF for each company together with the relevant share certificates.

Upon receipt of the DRF, your DP will review both the form and the securities to make sure everything is in order.

Once the DP is satisfied with your application, you will receive a Dematerialization Request Number (DRN) as confirmation.

The DP will then forward your application to the company’s Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA).

Once the Company RTA accepts your Dematerialization request, the Physical share to Demat mode and then destroyed.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is currently focused on eliminating stock transfer fraud. To achieve this goal, the regulator has sought to shift the focus from physical shares to the digital format. By opening a Demat account, physical shares can be converted into Demat shares. The process for opening a Demat account online is simple and straightforward. When an investor has an online account for trading purposes, the entire settlement process becomes faster and hassle-free.

To bring more transparency to the system, the regulator has set a deadline of April 1, 2019, for the transition. The regulator strongly believes that with the switch to electronic mode, the system will become more transparent and it will be able to monitor the movements in the beneficiaries' trading.

However, if you want to open a Demat account, here is a 6-step guide to convert physical shares into Demat shares.

Step 1: Initiate the opening of a beneficiary account with a depository participant (DP)

The first and most important step for an individual is to open a Demat account with a depository participant. DP is the intermediary between the customer and the depositor. The individual has to check and confirm whether DP is registered with SEBI or not.

Step 2: Fill the application form

Once the Demat account is activated, the individual customer can submit the Dematerialization form to the bank. The customer needs to carry the physical copies of shares and submit them to DP. It is important to note 'Surrendered for Dematerialization' on each share certificate submitted for conversion to a Demat account.

Step 3: Submission of documents

Once the documents are submitted, the Registrar and Transfer (R&T) Agent comes into play. DP sends a message to the agent and he/she is entrusted with maintaining the records. Such an agent is also responsible for verifying the authenticity of the documents.

Step 4: Registration of Dematerialization

Once the records are stored with the R&T agent, the registration number for Dematerialization is generated and sent to the customer. This number is entered into the Dematerialization request form.

Step 5: Name change process

After the documents are verified and properly validated, the name DP is entered in place of the person's name. The total number of shares will be entered and registered in the membership register after Dematerialization.

Step 6: Receipt of confirmation of receipt and crediting of shares

The Register of Members issues a confirmation after the transfer is completed. The last step is the crediting of the shares to the Demat account.

In conclusion

Transparency and trust are the two factors that help an investor get the right momentum in his investment journey. The process of conversion is so simple that it can be completed within two weeks. It protects the shares from possible physical damage and ensures their safety. So if you also want to convert, now is the right time to do it!

For transferring of physical shares one first need to get the physical shares to Dematerialized form. It can by done by:

Choose a depository participant (DP) and open a Demat account.

Once you have a Demat account, fill the Dematerialization Request Form (DRF)

Submit the certificates of the physical shares you want to Dematerialize and the DRF to the DP.

Your DP will then send an electronic request to the Registrar and Transfer agent.

The Registrar and Transfer agent will verify the certificates, form and your personal information documents.

The company whose shares you own will replace your name in their Register of Members with the depository’s name.

And once the Company’s Register of Members has been updated you will receive a confirmation regarding the transfer of Dematerialized shares to your Demat account.

Shares & dividends worth several crores are lying unclaimed either in the form of physical shares or have been transferred to the Investor Education Protection Fund Authority due to dividends lying unclaimed for several years. These shares belong to lakhs of investors or deceased shareholders who hold them either in physical form or in dormant Demat accounts. Physical share don't worry, we helps you in open a Demat Account anywhere with minimum hassle. We help investors to convert physical shares to Demat and Dematerialized as well.