Skip to content

    C D S L

    CDSL
    Financial Services·7 May 2026
    Management Summary

    CDSL reported a mixed Q4 and full year FY26, with standalone and consolidated total income showing growth, driven by strong demat account additions and market share. However, consolidated net profit and CVL's financial performance saw declines. The company emphasized its continued investment in technology and infrastructure to support an expanding investor base and evolving market needs, while acknowledging geopolitical uncertainties and regulatory changes impacting revenue streams like KYC charges.

    Highlights

    4
    • Standalone Total Income for FY26 reached ₹1,096 crores, up 11.27% YoY from ₹985 crores in FY25.

    • Consolidated Total Income for FY26 was ₹1,239 crores, a 3.34% increase from ₹1,199 crores in FY25.

    • CDSL's demat accounts grew to 18.01 crores as of March 31, 2026, adding over 2.7 crores accounts in FY26, maintaining an 80%+ market share.

    • Recognized with the Golden Peacock Innovative Product Service Award 2026 and as India's Best CEO of 2026 (Nehal Vora) by Business Today.

    Concerns

    5
    • Consolidated Net Profit for FY26 declined 13.50% to ₹455 crores from ₹526 crores in FY25.

    • Standalone Net Profit for Q4 FY26 decreased 14.81% to ₹69 crores from ₹81 crores in Q4 FY25.

    • CVL's revenue from operations for FY26 saw a significant decline of 21.21% to ₹182 crores from ₹231 crores in FY25.

    • CVL's Profit After Tax for FY26 dropped 49.65% to ₹55.36 crores from ₹109.95 crores in FY25.

    • Impairment cost of ₹7.62 crores recorded in Q4 FY26.

    Key financials

    Single quarter

    06 metrics
    1. 01Standalone Total Income₹1,096 Cr+11.3%YoY
    2. 02Standalone Net Profit₹468 Cr+1.3%YoY
    3. 03Consolidated Total Income₹1,239 Cr+3.3%YoY
    4. 04Consolidated Net Profit₹455 Cr-13.5%YoY
    5. 05Demat Accounts₹18.01 Cr

    Capital allocation

    1
    medium confidence
    CategoryHeadline
    Capex

    ₹250 crores

    What to watch in Q1 FY27

    4

    Folio count and growth

    next quarter
    Current18.01 crores as of March 31, 2026
    TargetUpdated folio count for June quarter

    Why it matters

    The folio count is a key indicator of CDSL's market penetration and growth, and management committed to disclosing it next quarter.

    Girish Amesara: "Folio as on 31st March '26, we'll be disclosing in the earnings call for June quarter '26-'27."

    Risks & concerns

    3
    RiskSeverity

    Geopolitical developments and market volatility

    Recent geopolitical developments have added uncertainty to the global environment, influencing energy prices, capital flows, and short-term market sentiment, leading to phases of volatility in Indian markets.Management acknowledged

    medium

    Competition in the depository space

    Management views competition as 'the way of life' and a driver for maintaining value proposition, but acknowledges its presence.Management acknowledged

    medium

    Impact of regulatory changes on KYC revenue

    New KYC regulations have led to a reduction in fetch charges by 20% (from ₹35 to ₹28) and creation charges by 75% (from ₹20 to ₹5), potentially impacting revenue.Analyst acknowledged

    medium

    Q&A highlights

    6

    “So, technology has to cope with the scale, both in terms of infrastructure, application, security and the linkages which form this. All these 4 components have to be invested in... the scalability of volumes is one aspect, but the scalability of access across depository participants having different scales themselves, it has to be up to speed and ahead of the curve to kind of ensure that the value proposition of this connectivity remains extremely high.”

    Analysts questioned the significant increase in technology costs and its translation into capacity. Management explained it as a strategic investment for horizontal and vertical scalability to handle 10x growth in demat accounts and evolving market needs.

    asked by Supratim Datta

    3 min read7 chapters

    Detailed Narrative

    01

    Q4 FY26 and Full Year FY26 Financial Performance

    CDSL reported a standalone total income of ₹1,096 crores for FY26, an 11.27% increase from ₹985 crores in FY25, with standalone net profit at ₹468 crores (up 1.30% YoY). For Q4 FY26, standalone income was ₹215 crores (up 4.88% YoY), but standalone net profit declined by 14.81% to ₹69 crores. On a consolidated basis, total income for FY26 grew 3.34% to ₹1,239 crores, while consolidated net profit decreased by 13.50% to ₹455 crores. Q4 FY26 consolidated income was ₹268 crores (up 4.69% YoY), but consolidated net profit fell 20% to ₹80 crores.

    02

    Demat Account Growth and Market Share

    CDSL continued its strong growth trajectory, adding over 2.7 crores demat accounts in FY26, bringing the total to 18.01 crores as of March 31, 2026. This performance allowed CDSL to maintain an 80% plus market share, with incremental market share consistently in the 85% to 90% range. Management highlighted that the total depository industry demat accounts crossed 22.4 crores.

    03

    Strategic Technology Investments

    The company emphasized its continuous investment in technology, viewing it as the 'DNA' of its business. These investments are aimed at ensuring horizontal and vertical scalability to cope with the 10x growth in demat accounts over the past six years. Approximately ₹250-240 crores are being invested annually in technology and fixed asset accretion to maintain a robust and adaptable platform for evolving market structures and regulatory developments.

    04

    Impact of KYC Regulation Changes

    New KYC regulations, effective April 1, 2026, have led to significant reductions in charges. Fetch charges were reduced by 20% from ₹35 to ₹28, and creation charges by 75% from ₹20 to ₹5. Management noted this is an industry-wide change, and while it impacts revenue streams, the intent is to promote greater investor participation and inclusion.

    05

    CDSL Ventures Limited (CVL) Performance

    CDSL Ventures Limited (CVL) experienced a challenging year, with revenue from operations for FY26 declining by 21.21% to ₹182 crores from ₹231 crores in FY25. Total income for CVL was ₹198.17 crores, down 22.27% YoY, and profit after tax saw a substantial drop of 49.65% to ₹55.36 crores from ₹109.95 crores in FY25. CVL is setting up a separate business unit at GIFT IFSC as the first KYC Registration Agency there.

    06

    Unlisted Companies and ISIN Issuance

    CDSL aims to increase its market share in the unlisted companies segment. Historically, ISIN issuance for unlisted companies has been exclusively handled by competition. However, management stated that this is expected to change in the near future, with both depositories being able to issue ISINs, which could provide CDSL with an additional growth avenue and enhance its competitive position in this segment.

    07

    Market Reforms and Investor Education

    Several key market reforms were launched, including the acceptance of Form 15G/15H (now Form 121) by both depositories and automation of demat account portability. The Securities Market Code 2025, tabled in Parliament, is a significant development aiming to consolidate the Indian securities market framework. CDSL also launched an investor education comic book in collaboration with 'Amar Chitra Katha' in 12 languages to simplify investor education.

    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.