Nithin Kamath: Founder & CEO at Zerodha

Megha Rani Megha Rani
May 26, 2023 10 min read
Nithin Kamath: Founder & CEO at Zerodha

Nithin Kamath is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zerodha, the largest stock brokerage firm in India, headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. He is an Indian entrepreneur, stockbroker, and columnist for The Financial Express. Nithin gained recognition in the financial industry for his pioneering work in discount broking, which led to Zerodha's success.

Nithin Kamath has been acknowledged for his achievements and influence in the Indian business landscape. He has received several awards and accolades, including, The Economic Times named him among the Top 10 Businessmen to Watch Out for in India in 2016, specifically highlighting his contributions to discount broking. And, he got Forbes India Leadership Award - Conscious Capitalist of the Year (2019). Additionally, his entrepreneurial endeavors have led to a significant net worth of $1.5 billion.

Zerodha's success has also been widely recognized. In the IIFL Wealth Hurun India 40 and Under Self-Made Rich List of 2020, Zerodha topped the rankings. This accomplishment further highlights Nithin Kamath's entrepreneurial prowess and Zerodha's position as a leading player in the Indian brokerage industry.

Nithin Kamath- Biography

Name Nithin Kamath
Born 5 October, 1979
Age 43 (2023)
Birthplace Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Nationality Indian
Zodiac Sign Libra
Educational Qualification Bachelor's in Engineering
Profession Entrepreneur, Stockbroker, Columnist
Position Founder & CEO, Zerodha
Net worth 270 crores USD (2023)
Father U.R Kamath
Mother Revati
Brother Nikhil Kamath
Spouse Seema Patil

Below here is the Nithin Kamath portfolio and the success story of Zerodha.

Nithin Kamath- Personal Life
Nithin Kamath- Education
Nithin Kamath- Professional Life
Nithin Kamath- Success story
Nithin Kamath- Founder & CEO of Zerodha
Nithin Kamath- Varsity
Nithin Kamath- Rainmatter
Nithin Kamath- True Beacon
Nithin Kamath- Honors & Awards
Nithin Kamath - Fun Facts

Nithin Kamath- Personal Life

Nithin was born in Shivamogga, Karnataka, India to a Konkani family. His father, U.R. Kamath was employed as one of the executive with Canara Bank. His mother, Revathi taught to play the musical instrument, veena.

He also has a younger brother, Nikhil Kamath, who is the Co-founder at Zerodha. Nithin Kamath wife is Seema Patil, they both got married in 2008. He loves to play basketball. The couple was also blessed with a son named Kiaan.

Nithin Kamath- Education

Nithin Kamath's education journey began during his childhood when he traveled across India while accompanying his father's profession. Eventually, he settled in Bangalore in 1996, where he completed his secondary education and college studies.

Nithin Kamath's formal education culminated with his graduation from Bangalore Institute of Technology, where he specialized in Electronics and Telecommunications. His academic background in this field likely contributed to his technical expertise and understanding of the evolving financial technology landscape.

Nithin Kamath- Professional Life

During his early years, Nithin Kamath exhibited a passion for trading and entrepreneurship. Here is a revised overview of his professional journey:

  1. Early Trading Experience: At the age of 17, Nithin began managing his father's trading account, which allowed him to gain practical experience in the financial markets while still pursuing his studies.
  2. Self-Employment as a Proprietary Trader: While in college, Nithin became a self-employed proprietary trader from January 1997 to January 2004. This period allowed him to further refine his trading skills and gain a deeper understanding of market dynamics.
  3. Work in a Call Center: Due to a lack of trading capital, Nithin worked at a call center for three years. He traded during the day and worked as a Senior Telesales Executive in a call center-focused company from January 2001 to June 2004.
  4. Sub-Broker and Portfolio Advisory Services: Nithin began his professional career as a sub-broker, partnering with Kamath Associates, which operated as a franchisee of Reliance Money. During this time (January 2004 to January 2010), he provided portfolio advisory services and engaged in proprietary trading.
  5. Co-founding Zerodha: In late 2010, Nithin Kamath, together with his younger brother Nikhil, founded their own stock brokerage firm, Zerodha. This marked the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, aimed at revolutionizing the brokerage industry in India through the introduction of discount broking and innovative trading technologies.

Nithin Kamath's experiences as a trader, work in a call center, and his tenure as a sub-broker provided him with valuable insights and paved the way for the establishment of Zerodha, which has become the largest retail stock brokerage firm in India.


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Nithin Kamath- Success story

Nithin Kamath's success story is intricately linked to the founding and growth of Zerodha, which has brought about significant disruption in the brokerage industry. Nithin drew inspiration from NSE's free trading platform called 'NOW' as he observed the need for change in the industry.

With a decade of experience in trading the stock markets, Nithin recognized the challenges and limitations faced by traders, which led him to establish Zerodha. He aimed to alleviate the fatigue associated with the pursuit of stock market trading and create a brokerage firm that addressed the barriers traders encountered. The name Zerodha itself is a combination of "Zero" and "Rodha," the Sanskrit word for barrier.

In 2010, Nithin and his brother, along with a team of five people, embarked on their entrepreneurial journey. Zerodha initially focused on serving day traders, and over time, the venture experienced significant growth. The company's disruptive pricing models and in-house technology played a pivotal role in propelling Zerodha to become the largest stockbroker in India in terms of active retail clients.

Through their innovative approach, Zerodha has reshaped the brokerage landscape, making trading more accessible, affordable, and efficient for retail investors. Nithin Kamath's vision and commitment to driving positive change have played a significant role in the success of Zerodha.

Nithin Kamath- Founder & CEO of Zerodha

Zerodha Logo

Nithin founded Zerodha in August, 2010 and has its physical presence across several major cities of India. It is considered India's largest brokerage firm. Zerodha entered the Unicorn Club in June 2020 with a self-assessed valuation of $1 billion. The online stock brokerage platform today has over 22 lakh active users with three million trades every day.

How does Zerodha work?

Zerodha offers trading in equities, currencies, bonds, commodities and mutual funds. An investor needs to pay Rs.300 to open his Zerodha account. They provide free equity delivery investments.

Equity delivery, equity intraday, futures and options variably charge Security transaction tax. A flat fee of Rs.20 is asked for every trade irrespective of its size without brokerage fee. Nearly, 2 lakh Zerodha accounts adds up every month. The Zerodha login and interface is also easy to navigate and is designed to help beginners.

Zeroda Kite a new addition to zerodha is an online trading software that allows its users to trade at BSE, NSE and MCX. It's a front-end application that is built in-house by Zerodha engineers. Zerodha margin calculator is another popular tool that lets its customers calculate the margin required for a futures contracts.

How does Zerodha make money?

Zerodha is a low costing trading service, it also has free add ons that attracts million of customers to trade or invest in stock market and pay brokerage to zerodha. Besides that, it is an online platform which helps in reducing the operational cost and helps them scale-up their business. Zerodha also doest spend money on advertising or marketing.

Nithin Kamath- Varsity

Varsity Logo

Under the leadership of Nithin, Zerodha runs a number of popular open online educational and community initiatives. The company launched a learning module, Varsity, to educate the young investors investing for the very first time. It also runs an active forum of Q&A, where traders and investors can discuss stock ideas. Varsity tutors are certified and well trained. The platform also an interactive blog called, "Z Connect".


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Nithin Kamath- Rainmatter

Rainmatter Logo

Nithin Kamath's Rainmatter is a Bangalore based financial technology startup fund and incubator, founded by Nithin in 2015. The company is an initiative by Zerodha that would ensue funds and incubate innovative startups. Moreover, it has invested in various startups to achieve the goal of growing the Indian capital markets.

Rainmatter Climate works on funding startups and grassroots organizations working on climate change. As per regulatory fillings, Nithin, his wife Seema and his brother Nikhil have been appointed directors of the venture, Rainmatter Land development. The paid-up capital for this new venture is Rs. 10 lakh.

Nithin Kamath- True Beacon

Nithin with his brother founded True Beacon, an investment management firm. The venture aimed at ultra-high net worth investors and operates on a zero-free model. The Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) do not charge an account on the ground of account opening fee, redemption fee, and maintenance fee. At the end of the financial year, it charges a 10% performance fee on the gains, from the investor.

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Nithin Kamath- Honors & Awards

Nithin Kamath has received several honors and awards throughout his career. Here is a revised list:

  • Emerging Entrepreneur Award (2014) - Conferred by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in recognition of Nithin Kamath's entrepreneurial accomplishments.
  • Emerging Brokerage Firm of the Year (2014) - Awarded by BSE and Dun & Bradstreet, acknowledging Zerodha's emergence as a prominent brokerage firm.
  • Emerging Brokerage Firm of the Year (2015) - Recognized by BSE and Dun & Bradstreet, highlighting Zerodha's continued growth and success in the brokerage industry.
  • Featured Among Top 10 Indian Businessmen to Watch Out for in 2016 - The Economic Times included Nithin Kamath in this prestigious list during their annual business review, recognizing his influential role in the industry.
  • Forbes India 30 under 30, Finance (2016) - Ranked by Forbes India in their prestigious list of young achievers, specifically in the finance category.
  • Startup of the Year (Bootstrap) 2016 - Awarded by The Economic Times, acknowledging Zerodha's successful establishment and growth as a bootstrapped startup.
  • IIFL Wealth Hurun India 40 and Under Self-Made Rich List 2020 - Zerodha secured the top position in this list, highlighting the financial success of Nithin Kamath and the company's achievements.

These honors and awards serve as a testament to Nithin Kamath's entrepreneurial prowess and Zerodha's notable contributions to the brokerage industry in India.

Nithin Kamath- Fun Facts

Nithin Kamath's personal interests and hobbies add further dimension to his profile. Here's a revised version:

  • Collecting Memorabilia: Nithin Kamath is known to have acquired a football jersey signed by the legendary footballer Lionel Messi at an auction, showcasing his appreciation for sports and collectibles.
  • Active Lifestyle: Nithin enjoys various physical activities such as running, cycling, and swimming, which contribute to his active and healthy lifestyle. Additionally, he has a penchant for playing the guitar, showcasing his passion for music.
  • Inspirations: Nithin Kamath has drawn inspiration from notable Indian businessman Azim Premji, appreciating his accomplishments and perhaps incorporating some of his principles into his own entrepreneurial journey.
  • Literary Interests: Nithin Kamath is an avid reader, and one of his favorite books is "Market Wizards" by Jack Schwager, indicating his interest in investment and financial literature.
  • Musical Preferences: Pink Floyd is Nithin Kamath's favorite band, showcasing his appreciation for their music and potentially reflecting his taste for classic rock.
  • Early Trading Experience: Nithin Kamath started his trading journey at the age of 17, demonstrating his early passion for the financial markets.
  • Other Interests: Nithin Kamath is a martial arts enthusiast and also enjoys playing poker, indicating his diverse range of interests beyond the realm of finance and entrepreneurship.

FAQs

Who is the owner of Zerodha?

Nithin Kamath is the owner of Zerodha.

What is Nithin Kamath age?

Nithin Kamath is 43 years (2023). He was born on 5 October 1979.

What is Nithin Kamath net worth?

Nithin Kamath net worth is 270 crores USD in (2023).

What is Nithin Kamath salary?

According to various reports (2023) , Nithin Kamath receives a monthly salary of INR 4.16 crore as his basic pay. In addition, he also receives INR 2 crores as a house rent allowance, INR 1.6 crores as other perquisites, and an additional INR 41 lakhs as various allowances.

What is Nithin Kamath education?

Nithin completed his Bachelors in Electronics and Telecommunications from Bangalore Institute of Technology.

Who is Nithin Kamath wife?

Seema Patil is Nithin Kamath's wife.

Who is Nithin Kamath brother?

Nikhil Kamath, a co-founder of Zerodha is Nithin Kamath's brother.

What is the Nithin Kamath mother tongue?

The mother tongue of Nithin Kamath is Konkani.

What inspired Nithin Kamath to start Zerodha?

Nithin Kamath drew inspiration from NSE's free trading platform 'NOW' and recognized the need for disruption in the brokerage industry. He aimed to make trading more accessible and affordable for retail investors, which led to the establishment of Zerodha.

Is zerodha good for begginers?

The flat fee model of  Zerodha is as low as Rs. 20, which is why many beginner level traders prefer Zerodha.

How much does Zerodha earn in a day?

According to the NSE, Zerodha's daily average turnover is ₹2000 crores.

How has Zerodha transformed the brokerage industry?

Zerodha introduced the concept of discount broking in India, significantly reducing brokerage fees for retail investors. The company's innovative technologies, user-friendly platforms, and customer-centric approach have attracted millions of clients, making Zerodha the market leader in India.

How can I get started with Zerodha?

To start trading with Zerodha, you can visit their official website and follow the account opening process. It usually involves providing your personal and financial details and completing the necessary documentation. Zerodha offers online account opening and a seamless onboarding experience.

What sets Zerodha apart from other brokerage firms?

Zerodha stands out for its innovative technology, transparent pricing models, and customer-friendly platforms. The company's focus on education and providing value-added services, along with its commitment to empowering retail investors, differentiates it from traditional brokerage firms in India.

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