What is CDSL?

CDSL

CDSL is one of the two authorised depositories in India. They hold financial securities like shares, bonds, and mutual funds in electronic form for customers.

CDSL definition

Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL) is one of the two authorised depositories in the India Capital Market. A Depository is an institution that holds financial securities like shares, debentures, and mutual funds in an electronic form (De-Materialized form).

What is CDSL?

CDSL holds these securities in a Demat Account offered by the company to its customers. A Demat Account is similar to a Bank Account but instead of money, it holds shares and mutual funds in electronic format. A Demat Account makes online trading fast, secure and convenient.

CDSL provides its services through Depository Participants (DPs). A DP is an agent of the Depository who acts as an intermediary between the investors and the depository. In most cases, stock brokers are DP members of CDSL. As of 31st Jan 2022, CDSL has 588 DPs and holds over 3 Crore investor Demat accounts.

CDSL Functions:

CDSL offers the below Depository services to investors through its DP’s:

  • Demat account
  • Dematerialisation of physical security certificates
  • Rematerialisation of electronic securities
  • Processing Delivery and Receipt instructions
  • Pledging of securities (like shares and bonds)
  • Facilitating change in address or bank account details linked with the demat account

CDSL Demat Account

CDSL Demat account is a Demat Account offered to the customer by CDSL. A Demat account holds financial securities like shares, debentures, and mutual funds in digital format. CDSL Demat Account is offered to the customer by stock brokers (CDSL members).

CDSL e-Services

CDSL offers a range of direct online services through their portal CDSL easi and CDSL easiest for investors to monitor and operate their Demat account online. Some of the services offered are:

Check your holding online.


CDSL E-voting allows shareholders of companies to vote on resolutions of the company electronically.

CDSL Charges

CDSL charge various fees for demat transactions done with them. A stock broker who is a CDSL member also charges these fees to the customer. Demat debit transaction charge (when shares are withdrawn from the demat account) is among the main charge a customer should be aware of.

List of CDSL Charges

  • Account Opening Charges
  • Account Maintenance Charges
  • Debit Transaction Charges
  • Pledge Creation Fees
  • Pledge Invocation Fees
  • Dematerialisation Charges
  • Rematerialisation Charges
  • Delivery Instruction Slip Charges
  • Account Statement Charges

CDSL CAS

A CDSL holding statement is also known as the CDSL CAS (Common Account Statement).

The CDSL CAS has details of the holdings and transactions in an investor’s NSDL and CDSL Demat account. The CAS also contains details of Mutual Funds units held in a Statement of Account form.

The CDSL CAS is sent to an investor every month if there is any transaction in his/her Demat account or mutual fund folios. If not, the CDSL CAS is sent on a half-yearly basis in April and October every year.

An investor can also download the CAS from the CAS tab on the CDSL website www.cdslindia.com.

CDSL Easi

CDSL Easi is CDSL’s internet-based facility that allows the investors to access, view, and monitor their Demat holdings on the go. Easi stands for electronic access to securities information. CDSL Easi is beneficial for the Demat account holders and the brokers because it allows them to:

View and print the holding/transaction statement with the valuation based on the previous day’s exchange closing price.
Monitor corporate action announcements for the securities held in the Demat account.
View multiple Demat accounts by the Demat account holder through a single login id.

CDSL Easiest

CDSL Easiest is an advancement to CDSL Easi. Easiest stands for Electronic Access To Securities Information and Execution of Secured Transaction.

CDSL Easiest has all the benefits of CDSL Easi incorporated in it. Apart from it, CDSL Easiest also enables an investor to submit off-market, on-market, inter-depository, and early pay-in debit instructions from his/her Demat account using an internet-based facility.

CDSL DP ID format

A CDSL Demat account number known as the Beneficiary Owner Identification (BO Id), is a 16-digit numeric ID.

The first 8 digits represent the depository participant (DP) ID with whom the investor has opened the account. The last 8 digits are unique to every customer.

For example, if you have an account with Zerodha your CDSL demat account number details would be;

CDSL Demat Account Number Example

CDSL Demat Account Number (Beneficiary ID)

1308150012121323
DP ID
13081500
Unique Client ID
12121323

CDSL TPIN

A CDSL TPIN is a 6-digit password that authorizes a broker to debit the selected shares from an investor’s account to meet the settlement obligation.

TPIN is a newly introduced facility by CDSL that replaces the Power of Attorney. It ensures safe and seamless transactions./

NSDL Vs CDSL

 NSDLCDSL
Company NameNational Securities Depository LimitedCentral Depository Securities Limited
Founded19961999
HeadquartersMumbai, India.Mumbai, India.
PromotersIDBI Bank, UTI, etc.HDFC, SBI, BOI, BOB etc.
Operating MarketNational Stock Exchange (NSE)Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)

What is CDSL Website?

CDSL official website is https://www.cdslindia.com

Where is the CDSL head office?

The CDSL is a Mumbai-based depository. It has an office in the Lower Parel area of Mumbai.
Central Depository Services (India) Limited
Marathon Futurex, A-Wing, 25th floor,
NM Joshi Marg,
Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013

How to view the CDSL client id?

You can view your CDSL client id in the Demat Account Statement or on the broker website. A client id is unique to a Demat account. If you have more than one Demat account, each demat account will have a different client ID.
CDSL client ID is a unique 8-digit number provided to every demat account by CDSL. The combination of the CDSL DP ID (8 digits) and CDSL Client ID becomes customer Demat Account Number.
Demat Account Number (16 digit) = CDSL DP ID (8 digit) + CDSL Client ID (8 digit)
For example, if your demat account number is 1308150012121323, then:
DP ID is 13081500
Client ID is 12121323
Note: CDSL DP ID is 8 digits unique ID assigned to the broker who is a depository participant (DP) with CDSL.

What is the CDSL customer care number?

The CDSL customer care number is 1800-22-5533. You could also call on +91-22-23058640 or +91-22-23058624 or +91-22-23058639 or +91-22-23058642 or +91-22-23058663 to get help related to CDSL demat account.

How CDSL works?

CDSL works as a financial securities depository in India. A Depository is responsible for holding securities (like shares, debentures, and mutual funds) in electronic form and enabling securities transactions.
CDSL is one of the two authorised depositories in India. NSDL is another depository.

The CDSL functions in the same way as a bank does. A bank is responsible for safeguarding an account holder’s money. CDSL is in charge of protecting the financial securities of its investors.
However, CDSL does not directly interact with investors. It provides its services through authorized depository participants (DP) registered with CDSL. Most stock brokers are DP’s and offer CDSL demat account-related services to customers

Is CDSL Government owned?

CDSL is not a Government-owned company. It is a publicly traded and professionally managed company who is authorised by the Government of India to offer depository services in India
CDSL was promoted by the Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd (BSE Ltd) in February 1999. The company was listed at NSE in 2017 through IPO.
CDSL Shareholdings (As of Dec 2020)
Promoters: 20%
FII: 6.1%
DII: 36.6%
Public: 37.3%
The Government of India has authorized only two depositories to hold financial securities (like shares, bonds, mutual funds) on behalf of investors. They are;
Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL) and
National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL)

What is the difference between NSDL and CDSL?

CDSL and NDSL are the two depositories authorized by the Government of India. Both CDSL and NSDL offer same depository services to their customers. Except they are two different companies, they are pretty much the same.
Their basic function includes:
Maintaining Demat accounts for investors through their respective registered Depository Participants,
Holding financial securities like (shares, bonds, and mutual funds) in an electronic form, and
Enabling securities transactions.

What are CDSL charges?

CDSL charges a fee for transactions performed by the customers in their demat account. These charges are levied by the DPs (stock brokers) and passed on the CDSL.

The CDSL charges or demat account charges include:
Account Opening Charges
Account Maintenance Charges
Debit Transaction Charges
Pledge Creation Fees
Pledge Invocation Fees
Dematerialisation Charges
Rematerialisation Charges
Delivery Instruction Slip Charges
Account Statement Charges