Is Groww safe and registered in India? SEBI details and complaints

Groww Invest Tech is a registered stock broker in India. Your stocks are held in a CDSL demat account, not by the app. Read on to check its licence numbers, the May 2025 SEBI settlement, what it can see on your phone, and what users complain about the most.

By Qrates research desk · 2026-11-01

Groww is a SEBI-registered stock broker. Your stocks sit in a demat account at CDSL, a SEBI-registered depository, not with the app. Mutual funds can be in demat or in a fund house folio. SEBI settled an inspection case with the broker in May 2025. You can check the latest licence status, phone permissions and user complaints on the Groww Qrates page.

Quick answer: Is Groww safe and registered in India?

Groww is a legal, registered stock broker in India. It states a SEBI stock broker registration (INZ000301838) and a Depository Participant licence (IN-DP-417-2019) under the name Groww Invest Tech Private Limited (Groww website disclosure, checked Nov 2026). Your stocks are held in a CDSL demat account, not by the app.

The real risks are not about fake apps, but about privacy and service. The app asks to read your text messages and contacts. Also, support that does not reply is the most raised problem in store reviews (Qrates directory).

Groww's licences and SEBI registration details

Groww operates legally under Indian financial regulators. The SEBI stock broker licence INZ000301838 is held by Groww Invest Tech Private Limited. It also holds a Depository Participant licence (IN-DP-417-2019) with CDSL (Groww website disclosure, checked Nov 2026).

The app is listed under Billionbrains Garage Ventures Private Limited (Qrates directory). That company is now Billionbrains Garage Ventures Limited, Groww's listed parent. Groww Invest Tech also states an AMFI distributor registration, ARN-111686 (Groww website disclosure, checked Nov 2026).

Entity Name	Role	Registration Number
Groww Invest Tech Private Limited	SEBI Stock Broker	INZ000301838
Groww Invest Tech Private Limited	Depository Participant	IN-DP-417-2019
Groww Invest Tech Private Limited	Mutual Fund Distributor (AMFI)	ARN-111686
Billionbrains Garage Ventures Limited (listed as Private Limited on the app)	App Publisher	Not applicable

Regulator warnings and compliance

SEBI passed a settlement order on 14 May 2025 in a comprehensive inspection of Groww Invest Tech. The firm paid ₹47,85,000 without admitting or denying the findings. We did not find a SEBI caution naming Groww for fraud when we checked in November 2026. Search SEBI's orders page for the latest position. Brokers now fall under the SEBI (Stock Brokers) Regulations, 2026. SEBI's rules on client money require brokers to hold it in a bank account titled for clients. If you are unsure about a platform, learn how to check if a stock broker is SEBI registered and spot fake trading apps.

What happens to your money if Groww shuts down?

Groww's app does not hold your shares. When you buy a stock on Groww, it goes into your CDSL demat account. CDSL is a depository registered with SEBI and is a listed company. It is not a government body. For mutual funds, Groww began offering demat holding to new accounts in June 2025, with an option to stay in a fund house folio (Statement of Account). Existing holdings stay in that format unless moved.

If Groww closed down, your shares would still be recorded at CDSL, not in the app. You would need to move them to a demat account with another depository participant. Ask CDSL for the steps at that time. You can find other options on our list of stock broking and trading apps.

Uninvested cash is different, because it sits with the broker until it is returned. Groww says it refunds your balance to your bank on the first Friday of every month or quarter (30 or 90 days), based on your chosen cycle. An account inactive for 30 days also gets its balance refunded (Groww help page, checked Nov 2026). You can also withdraw at any time.

What the Groww app can read on your phone

Financial apps require certain permissions to verify your identity and prevent fraud. According to the Qrates directory, the Groww app can read your text messages and your contacts. Reading text messages is often used to auto-read OTPs during login or bank verification. Check the full permission list on your phone before you install.

Permission	Common use
Read text messages	Often used to auto-read OTPs
Read contacts	Can be denied in phone settings

What users complain about: Groww app reviews

Groww has a Google Play rating of 4.8 from 25,37,448 ratings and an App Store rating of 4.7 (Qrates directory, checked Nov 2026). These numbers change.

The Qrates directory shows that the most raised problem is support that does not reply, or replies with a template and closes the ticket. Users also report charges nobody mentioned, being pushed into things they did not choose, and orders that went through badly. Groww's pricing page lists equity brokerage of ₹20 or 0.1% per executed order, whichever is lower, with a minimum of ₹5 (Groww Pricing page, checked Nov 2026).

If you want to see how this compares to other platforms, you can compare money apps side by side.

How to check Groww's SEBI registration yourself

You can verify any broker's licence directly on the SEBI website.

Go to the SEBI website and find the 'Intermediaries / Market Infrastructure Institutions' section.
Click on 'Recognised Intermediaries' and select 'Registered Stock Brokers in equity segment'.
Type 'Groww Invest Tech' into the Name / Trade Name box.
Check that the registration number matches INZ000301838 and read the validity period shown.

FAQs

Is Groww app safe for long term investment?

Qrates does not recommend any app. Your stocks are held in a CDSL demat account, not by the broker itself. In June 2025 Groww began offering demat for mutual funds to new accounts, with an option to stay in a fund house folio, and existing holdings stay as they are unless moved (Groww blog, Jun 2025). You can read more about options on our mutual fund and wealth apps page.

Can Groww run away with my money?

Shares are kept with CDSL, and mutual funds are in demat or a fund house folio, so the broker does not hold them directly. Uninvested cash sits with the broker until it is returned. SEBI rules require regular settlement of this money back to you, and Groww refunds it monthly or quarterly based on your choice. This separation lowers the risk, but no rule removes it fully.

Is my demat account safe with Groww?

Your demat account is opened with CDSL, a central depository. Groww only acts as the agent to execute your buy and sell orders. Your demat holdings are recorded in the depository system, not in the app.

The short version

Groww Invest Tech Private Limited holds SEBI stock broker registration number INZ000301838.
The company holds Depository Participant licence IN-DP-417-2019 to open CDSL demat accounts.
Stocks are held in a CDSL demat account, not by the broker. Mutual funds can be in demat or a fund house folio.
SEBI passed a settlement order in May 2025, and the firm paid ₹47,85,000 without admitting or denying the findings.
The Qrates directory shows the app can read your text messages and contacts.
Support that does not reply is the most raised problem in store reviews.

Sources

Disclaimer

Qrates is an information directory. It takes no commission from any company listed and does not recommend products. Figures are taken from the sources named and dated, and they change; check the company's own page before you decide. This is not investment, credit, insurance or tax advice for your situation. A licence or a clean record today does not guarantee how a company behaves later. To complain, use the regulator's own portal (RBI CMS, SEBI SCORES or IRDAI Bima Bharosa).