LRS on Sakthi Priyan H

India Is Just 3% of the World Market — Why I Invest Globally

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If you invest only in India, you own about 3% of the world’s equity market. Chapter 1 of The Global Indian Investor — the case for looking beyond the NSE/BSE.

Bank of Baroda FX Retail for IBKR: From a ₹0.10 Per USD Markup to an Additional Foreign Bank Charge

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The full record of onboarding Bank of Baroda as a second FX Retail relationship bank — a cold email to treasury, branch paperwork, a USD 100 test remittance, the real 2-day transfer and SWIFT message quirks that followed, and a structural Foreign Bank Charge that narrows its cost advantage.

FX Retail via BHIM Bharat Connect: An 11-Day Lien and What It Actually Cost

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A failed FX Retail booking via BHIM Bharat Connect put a substantial sum under lien for 11 days, with BHIM, ICICI, and FX Retail each pointing at the others. The money came back — the July 31 entry window it was meant for never did. The full account, and what it actually cost.

How to Transfer Money Efficiently?

Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Before selecting a broker or investment instrument, it is important to understand how money actually moves from India to an overseas brokerage account.

For Indian retail investors, the remittance process itself can materially impact long-term returns. A seemingly small FX markup of ~₹1.50 per USD compounds significantly over decades of investing.

This chapter focuses on sending money abroad efficiently under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).

What is LRS?

The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows Indian residents to remit up to $250,000 (~₹2.4 Crores @ 94.55) per financial year for permitted purposes, including Indian investment abroad in equity capital (Purpose Code: S0001)

FX Retail via Bharat Connect: Private Bank Speed at Public Bank Rates — A Live Transaction Walkthrough

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A step-by-step walkthrough of executing a live INR-to-USD forex transaction using FX Retail via Bharat Connect (BHIM), completing the remittance on ICICI Bank Money2World, and investing in an Irish ETF on IBKR

INR to USD: FX Retail Web vs FX Retail Bharat Connect vs Direct Bank Rates

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A comparison of foreign exchange rates for converting INR to USD across different channels like direct banking, FX Retail Web, and the newly discovered FX Retail via Bharat Connect.

State of the Portfolio: Returns, Allocation and Strategy — Edition 1

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Annual portfolio review for FY 2025–26: Three goal-based portfolios, allocation strategy, drift correction and forex cost optimization.

Stop Paying ₹1.5/USD! Cut Forex Markup When Funding IBKR (India Guide)

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How to avoid high forex markups (₹1.5/USD) when funding your Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account from India. Step-by-step guide to save on currency conversion costs.

Using Form 12BAA to Reduce Cashflow Drag on International Investments

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How salaried Indians investing internationally via LRS can use Form 12BAA to reduce cashflow drag from TCS, optimize compounding, and avoid capital lock-in.

RealValue FX Engine

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Calculate your true effective FX rate including hidden spreads and taxes, compare quotes across banks to minimize costs, track your ₹10L LRS limit via a browser-only transaction log, and compute your TCS refund opportunity cost.

How to Invest in NASDAQ 100 from India (Mutual Funds, ETFs, and IBKR Guide)

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Options to invest in the NASDAQ 100 index from India — covering mutual funds, Indian ETFs, and the LRS route via Interactive Brokers — along with a comparison of Indian apps vs IBKR with UCITS ETFs, buying cost, and taxation.

Cut Bank Forex Markup on INR to USD Using FX Retail | IBKR Funding, Forex Card, LRS

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Indian investors lose 2-3% to hidden bank forex markup on every INR to USD transfer. Learn how to use FX Retail to negotiate lower rates for IBKR funding, forex card loading, and LRS remittances.

Funding Interactive Brokers from India Using FX Retail

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How Indian investors can reduce the hidden forex markup cost when funding Interactive Brokers accounts by using FX Retail instead of the bank’s default remittance rate.