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    C D S L

    CDSL
    Financial Services·3 Nov 2025
    Management Summary

    CDSL reported a mixed Q2 FY26, with strong growth in demat accounts, adding over 65 lakh new accounts and maintaining an 80% market share. However, consolidated total income and net profit saw a YoY decline, attributed by management to the absence of significant subsidiary dividends received in the prior year. The company continues to invest in technology and regulatory initiatives, while its subsidiary CDSL Ventures also experienced a notable decline in H1 FY26 performance.

    Highlights

    4
    • CDSL added over 65 lakh accounts in Q2 FY26, bringing total demat accounts to 16.5 crore.

    • Maintained 80% market share in demat accounts.

    • Launched Nomination Phase 2 to simplify and strengthen the nomination process for investors.

    • Actively participated in World Investor Week and SEBI vs SCAM campaign to promote financial literacy.

    Concerns

    4
    • Consolidated total income for Q2 FY26 declined to INR341 crores from INR359 crores YoY, a decrease of 5.01%.

    • Consolidated net profit for Q2 FY26 decreased to INR140 crores from INR162 crores YoY, a decline of 13.58%.

    • CDSL Ventures (CVL) H1 FY26 total income decreased to INR92.84 crores from INR144.41 crores YoY, a decline of 35.69%.

    • CDSL Ventures (CVL) H1 FY26 PAT decreased to INR27.09 crores from INR66.48 crores YoY, a decline of 59.25%.

    What Changed2

    vs Q3 FY26

    Guidance items1 → 0 (-1)Risks discussed4 → 3 (-1)
    Key financials

    Metrics

    8

    Periods

    2

    Q2 FY26

    4
    • Consolidated Total Income
      ₹341 Cr
      YoY-5.0%
    • Consolidated Net Profit
      ₹140 Cr
      YoY-13.6%
    • Standalone Total Income
      ₹290 Cr
      YoY-10.5%
    • Standalone Net Profit
      ₹128 Cr
      YoY-25.1%

    H1 FY26

    4
    • Consolidated Total Income
      ₹637 Cr
      YoY-1.2%
    • Consolidated Net Profit
      ₹242 Cr
      YoY-18.2%
    • Standalone Total Income
      ₹602 Cr
      YoY+11.1%
    • Standalone Net Profit
      ₹280 Cr
      YoY+1.5%

    Segment breakdown

    CDSL Ventures Limited (CVL)
    ₹92.84 Cr Total Income (H1 FY26)₹35.82 Cr PBT (H1 FY26)₹27.09 Cr PAT (H1 FY26)
    List

    LIC Integration Go-Live

    Next quarter (Q3 FY26)
    CurrentExpected to go live in November 2025
    TargetSuccessful integration and impact on Insurance Repository numbers

    Why it matters

    LIC integration is a significant event expected to boost the Insurance Repository business.

    LIC integration is expected to go live in November. So we expect some numbers to increase from there.

    How to verify

    detailed_narrative[title='Insurance Repository Business Update']

    Risks & concerns

    3
    RiskSeverity

    Decline in Consolidated and Standalone Profitability

    Consolidated net profit down 13.58% YoY for Q2 FY26, standalone net profit down 25.15% YoY for Q2 FY26, though management attributes this to the absence of subsidiary dividend in the current year.Analyst acknowledged

    medium

    Competition in KYC Services

    KFintech has started operations, and some Fintech brokers have joined them, but CDSL has not seen any material impact to date.Analyst downplayed

    low

    Declining Incremental Demat Account Market Share

    Incremental market share for demat account additions declined from 93% to 82%, but management emphasized absolute growth and a long-term perspective, suggesting it's a relative number.Analyst downplayed

    medium

    Q&A highlights

    8

    “The first number, we don't give it out in the public domain.”

    Analyst sought granular detail on revenue streams, but management declined to provide it, indicating a lack of transparency on specific income components.

    asked by Lalit Deo

    3 min read7 chapters

    Detailed Narrative

    01

    Q2 FY26 Financial Performance Overview

    CDSL reported a consolidated total income of INR341 crores for Q2 FY26, a 5.01% decline from INR359 crores in Q2 FY25. Consolidated net profit also decreased by 13.58% to INR140 crores from INR162 crores YoY. On a standalone basis, Q2 FY26 total income was INR290 crores (down 10.49% YoY) and net profit was INR128 crores (down 25.15% YoY). Management noted that the previous year's profits included significant dividend contributions from subsidiaries (INR47.5 crores in Sep 2024 quarter and INR62 crores in Jun 2025 quarter), which were absent this year, making current year's core operational profit relatively stronger.

    02

    Demat Account Growth and Market Share

    CDSL continued its strong growth in demat accounts, adding over 65 lakh new accounts in Q2 FY26. This brought the total number of demat accounts to 16.5 crore, with CDSL maintaining an 80% market share. While the incremental market share for demat account additions saw a decline from 93% to 82%, management emphasized focusing on absolute growth and a long-term perspective rather than relative percentages.

    03

    Subsidiary Performance: CDSL Ventures (CVL)

    CDSL Ventures Limited (CVL) experienced a significant decline in its H1 FY26 performance. Total income for H1 FY26 was INR92.84 crores, down 35.69% from INR144.41 crores in H1 FY25. Profit After Tax (PAT) for CVL also decreased substantially by 59.25% to INR27.09 crores from INR66.48 crores in the previous year.

    04

    Annual Issuer Charges and Unlisted Market

    Annual issuer charges are typically raised in the first quarter of the financial year based on admissions up to March 31st, as per SEBI circulars. In Q2 FY26, CDSL admitted 3,593 unlisted companies, contributing to the annual issuer charge income. The unlisted market share currently stands at 30% to 32%. The ISIN system for unlisted securities is currently under testing between depositories, with management hopeful for a level playing field once it goes live.

    05

    Technology Investments and KRA Services

    CDSL continues to prioritize investments in technology and human resources, viewing them as critical for business growth and creating value propositions for new market players. The company clarified a reclassification in its KYC income reporting, now including all KRA-related income (like eSign, eKYC/CKYC, GSP services) under this category, rather than just online data charges. Management stated that they have not seen any material impact from new competitors like KFintech in the KYC segment.

    06

    Insurance Repository Business Update

    In the Insurance Repository business, CDSL signed up two new customers in the current half-year. The integration of LIC is expected to go live in November, which is anticipated to boost numbers. Despite a general decrease in policies issued by IRDA, CDSL's Insurance Repository business showed a 30% growth YoY. Future growth is expected to come from the online portal and the broking channel, in addition to existing insurance company partnerships.

    07

    Regulatory Initiatives and Investor Education

    CDSL launched Nomination Phase 2, an enhancement designed to simplify and strengthen the nomination process for investors, aligning with its commitment to investor protection. The company actively participated in the World Investor Week and the SEBI vs SCAM campaign, promoting financial literacy and awareness about fraud prevention, emphasizing that an informed investor is a protected investor.

    This is an AI-generated summary of a publicly available earnings call transcript. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an endorsement. inve.money is not a SEBI-registered investment advisor. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.