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SEBI-Registered vs Unregistered Stock Market Advice: 8 Ways to Check (2026)

4 days ago
11 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Disclosure: Education only. Not investment advice. No paid placements.

Last updated: 23 October 2026

By MonuKeer News Desk

Before you pay for a stock tip, a "premium group" or an advisory plan, you can check for free whether the person or firm is registered with SEBI. SEBI and the stock exchanges run official registers, payment checks and complaint portals for exactly this. This page lists eight official checks we opened and used ourselves on 23 October 2026. For each one we explain what it checks, how to use it and what it cannot tell you.

A high score below means a check is official, free, easy to use and broad. It does not mean that one check is enough, and no check tells you whether any advice is good. Even registered advice can lose money. Registration only means that you are dealing with a regulated entity, with rules to follow and a formal place to complain.

How we compared them (criteria, published before the list)

We scored each check from 0 to 2 on five criteria, for a maximum of 10. Anything we could not confirm on an official page on the check date scores 0 or 1, as shown below.

  • Official source – 2 points: Run by SEBI; 1 point: Run by a stock exchange, including BSE in its SEBI-recognised role for research analysts and investment advisers; 0 points: Not official.

  • Ease of use – 2 points: One step: type, scan or look, no login; 1 point: A few steps, a search form, or a free sign-up; 0 points: Hard to use without help.

  • Coverage – 2 points: Covers all main categories of SEBI-registered intermediaries; 1 point: Covers one category or one kind of check (for example, payments only); 0 points: Very narrow.

  • Free – 2 points: Fully free; 1 point: Free with conditions; 0 points: Paid.

  • Hindi availability – 2 points: Hindi confirmed on the tool itself; 1 point: Hindi confirmed on the parent website, but not on the tool or results; 0 points: No Hindi found.

How the list is ordered: by total score, highest first. Ties are broken by coverage, then ease of use, then Hindi, then alphabetically.

Score table

Rank

Check

Score (out of 10)

1

SEBI Check (bank account and UPI ID verification)

9

2

SEBI register of intermediaries (RA, IA and more)

8

3

"@valid" UPI handle and green thumbs-up icon

8

4

SCORES complaint portal

8

5

Authorised mobile trading apps list

7

6

SEBI caution press releases and Market Intelligence portal

7

7

BSE "Know Your Research Analyst / Investment Adviser" directories

5

8

NSE and BSE stockbroker and authorised person directories

5

All facts checked on 23 October 2026.

The checks

1. SEBI Check (bank account and UPI ID verification) — 9/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 2/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Total 9/10 · Run by: SEBI

  • What it checks: Whether a UPI ID, or a bank account number with IFSC, belongs to a SEBI-registered intermediary.

  • Official URL: https://siportal.sebi.gov.in/intermediary/sebi-check and the UPI page https://www.sebi.gov.in/upi-verification.html

  • How to use it: Choose "Scan QR" or "Type" to check a UPI ID, or "Account" to check bank details, before you send money. On the UPI page, a match shows the name, legal account holder and registration number; if there is no match, it says "No Match Found". SEBI says the tool is also on the Saa₹thi app.

  • Languages: The tool offers English, Hindi and ten other Indian languages.

  • Limitation: It checks payment details only. It does not tell you whether the advice is suitable, or that the person messaging you really works for that entity. If the name shown does not match the entity you think you are paying, stop.

2. SEBI register of intermediaries (RA, IA and more) — 8/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 2/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Total 8/10 · Run by: SEBI

3. "@valid" UPI handle and green thumbs-up icon — 8/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 2/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Total 8/10 · Run by: SEBI framework

4. SCORES complaint portal — 8/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 2/2 · Total 8/10 · Run by: SEBI

  • What it checks: It is not a pre-check, but it is the official way to complain about SEBI-regulated entities, such as listed companies, registered intermediaries and market infrastructure institutions.

  • Official URL: https://scores.sebi.gov.in/

  • How to use it: Register (details can be fetched from a KYC Registration Agency), lodge the complaint, track it, and seek a review within 15 days if you are not satisfied. There is a two-level review system. The site has a Hindi option and a mobile app, and lists the toll-free number 1800 22 7575. SEBI's portal says grievances sent by email to SEBI addresses will not be attended to.

  • Limitation: It covers SEBI-regulated entities. SEBI says that if you deal with unregistered entities or apps, protections such as SCORES and the exchanges' grievance and dispute mechanisms are not available. That is a strong reason to check registration first.

5. Authorised mobile trading apps list — 7/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Total 7/10 · Run by: SEBI (links to exchange lists)

  • What it checks: Whether a trading or advisory app belongs to a SEBI-registered intermediary.

  • Official URL: https://investor.sebi.gov.in/Investor-support.html

  • How to use it: Under "Authorised Mobile Apps of SEBI Registered Intermediaries", open the exchange list for brokers (BSE, NSE, NCDEX, MCX, MSEI), or the lists for investment advisers, research analysts, bond platforms and mutual funds, and look for the exact app name. The SEBI investor website has a Hindi option.

  • Limitation: SEBI's disclaimer says the app names and links come from the exchanges' and associations' own websites. A fake app can copy a real name, so download only from the link on the official list.

6. SEBI caution press releases and Market Intelligence portal — 7/10

Score: Official source 2/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 1/2 · Total 7/10 · Run by: SEBI

7. BSE "Know Your Research Analyst / Investment Adviser" directories — 5/10

Score: Official source 1/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 0/2 · Total 5/10 · Run by: BSE (as RAASB / IAASB)

8. NSE and BSE stockbroker and authorised person directories — 5/10

Score: Official source 1/2 · Ease of use 1/2 · Coverage 1/2 · Free 2/2 · Hindi availability 0/2 · Total 5/10 · Run by: NSE, BSE

Finfluencers: what SEBI's rules say

  • Regulation 16A, added by the SEBI (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (notified 26 August 2024), says SEBI-regulated entities and their agents must not associate, directly or indirectly, with a person who gives advice or recommendations on securities without SEBI registration or permission, or who claims returns or performance without SEBI permission. There is an exception for association through a "specified digital platform" (Regulation 16A).

  • SEBI's circular of 22 October 2024 sets out how this applies to regulated entities and their agents.

  • What this means for you: If anyone gives you specific buy or sell calls, price targets or return claims, ask for their SEBI registration number and check it in the register (#2) before you act or pay.

Red flags SEBI has warned about

  1. Guaranteed or "risk-free" returns. SEBI lists promises of assured or risk-free returns among common social media frauds.

  2. Invitation-only WhatsApp or Telegram tip groups. SEBI says such groups may plant praise and profit claims (astroturfing), and that a "group banned, join the new group" message is a red flag.

  3. Profit-sharing "account handling". Anyone who asks for your trading login and a share of the profit. SEBI says these account handlers are not registered with SEBI.

  4. Apps or platforms suggested in a group. SEBI says not to open accounts on, or send money to, apps suggested in such groups.

  5. "Live trading" sessions with calls. Real-time tips in social media streams.

  6. Fake certificates or claims of SEBI registration. Check the number in the register yourself.

  7. Calls from regular 10-digit numbers. SEBI has asked intermediaries to use the "1600" number series for service and transaction calls to existing customers.

What we left out, and why

  • Names of any unregistered person or firm: This page explains how to check. It does not name or accuse anyone.

  • SEBI Document Number Verification System: It is useful if you receive a letter or notice that claims to be from SEBI, but it verifies SEBI letters, not adviser registration. SEBI revamped it from September 2026 (press release of 1 October 2026). It is at https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/dnvs-authentication-v2.html.

  • Paid "verification" services and private apps: All the checks above are free and official, so there is no need to pay anyone to verify registration.

  • Exact deadlines for phasing out old UPI IDs: SEBI's June 2025 circular set timelines, but we did not find a later official confirmation to quote, so we leave them out.

How to check advice in five minutes

  1. Ask for the SEBI registration number (INH for an RA, INA for an IA) and the registered name.

  2. Look it up in the SEBI register (#2), and check that the email, address and validity match.

  3. Compare the handle or app with the BSE "Know Your" directory (#7) or SEBI's authorised apps list (#5).

  4. Before paying, run SEBI Check (#1) and look for the "@valid" handle and thumbs-up icon (#3).

  5. Walk away from any guarantee. SEBI lists promises of assured or risk-free returns among common fraud signs. If something goes wrong with a registered entity, use SCORES (#4).

FAQs

1. How can I check if a stock market adviser is SEBI-registered?

Open https://www.sebi.gov.in/intermediaries.html, go to "Recognised Intermediaries", choose Research Analysts or Investment Advisers, and search by name or registration number. RA numbers start with INH and IA numbers start with INA.

2. What is the difference between a SEBI Research Analyst and an Investment Adviser?

Both are separate SEBI registrations with their own registers and number formats (INH for RAs, INA for IAs). Check the category the person claims, and confirm that the registration is valid.

3. What is an @valid UPI ID?

It is a UPI handle that SEBI-registered intermediaries must obtain for collecting money from investors, for example abc.brk@validhdfc. Payments to it show a white thumbs-up in a green triangle. You can verify it with SEBI Check.

4. Can I complain on SCORES about an unregistered tip provider?

SCORES handles complaints against SEBI-regulated entities. SEBI says that SCORES and exchange grievance mechanisms are not available for dealings with unregistered entities. You can report unregistered advisers to SEBI through the Market Intelligence portal at https://mi.sebi.gov.in/.

5. Does SEBI registration mean the advice will make money?

No. Registration means the adviser is regulated and you have a formal complaint route. It does not guarantee returns, and losses are possible.

Sources (all checked 23 October 2026)

Reported by the MonuKeer News Desk. Edited by Monu Keer, Founder & Editor.

Education only. Not investment advice.

What changed this month

First edition.

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