What is SEBI and how does it protect investors?
SEBI is India’s market regulator. It makes the rules for exchanges, brokers, mutual funds, and advisers — and polices fraud and misleading "tips".
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulator of India’s securities markets. Its job is to protect investors, keep markets fair and transparent, and oversee everyone who operates in them — stock exchanges, brokers, mutual funds, merchant bankers, and registered investment advisers.
For an ordinary investor, SEBI matters in concrete ways: it requires companies to disclose material information through filings, mandates that brokers segregate your money and securities, registers and supervises investment advisers, and runs the grievance system (SCORES) where you can escalate complaints against market intermediaries.
SEBI has been especially active against unregistered "finfluencers" who give buy/sell tips without authorisation — banning offenders, ordering content taken down, and levying penalties. The practical takeaway: before you trust anyone’s stock advice, check whether they’re SEBI-registered. Only about 2% of finfluencers are, which is exactly why verified, regulated guidance is so valuable.
See it on real companies
Browse live financials and decoded filings, or just ask in plain English.
Common questions
How do I check if an adviser is SEBI-registered?
SEBI publishes a public list of registered Investment Advisers with their registration numbers. A genuine adviser will share their SEBI registration number, which you can verify on the SEBI website.
Can SEBI get my money back from a scam?
SEBI can penalise wrongdoers and order disgorgement, and you can file complaints via SCORES, but recovery isn’t guaranteed. Prevention — dealing only with registered, transparent parties — is far more reliable than after-the-fact recourse.