What is an execution-only platform for mutual funds?

Lesson 35 of 50 for advisers · Execution-only platforms · 4 min read · Reviewed 13 Nov 2026

Quick answer

A digital platform that lets investors buy, sell and switch direct plans only, under SEBI’s framework in force since 1 Sep 2023. It must be a company, registered with AMFI as the fund houses’ agent or as a stock broker in the exchanges’ T2_EOP segment. It charges only flat fees, gives no advice, and may not also sell regular plans to the same investor’s family.

Since 1 Sep 2023, an app that offers direct plans only is an execution-only platform. Advisers’ and brokers’ platforms for their own clients are outside the framework.

There are two kinds. Category 1 registers with AMFI and acts for the fund houses. Category 2 is a stock broker in the exchanges’ T2_EOP segment and acts for the investor.

Only a flat transaction fee is allowed, never a percentage. Fund houses may not charge these fees to schemes.

A platform shows facts, not recommendations or rankings. Within a group, a family uses either the platform for direct plans or a distributor for regular plans, not both.

Key idea: Your clients may hold direct plans bought through an app; they are outside your trail but still part of their portfolio.

Sources

Try the short quiz on this page to check what stuck.

Common questions

Who pays a Category 1 platform?

The fund houses, within AMFI’s cap.

Who checks the client’s KYC?

The fund house stays responsible for KYC.

Must a platform be a company?

Yes, both categories must be body corporates.

More lessons

ARN, EUIN and renewal: What happens to a mutual fund distributor’s trail if the ARN is not renewed on time?
MFD or RIA: who may advise: Can a mutual fund distributor call themselves a financial adviser?
Advice and distribution, kept apart: Can an investment adviser also earn commission from the same client?
What an RIA may charge: How much can a SEBI-registered investment adviser charge a client?
Certificates and continuing education: Which NISM certificates do mutual fund distributors and investment advisers need?
How trail is paid: How are mutual fund distributors paid commission in India?
Expense ratio slabs: What is the maximum expense ratio a mutual fund can charge in 2026?
What the client’s statement shows: Does a mutual fund investor see the commission paid to their distributor?
Direct by default on fund-house apps: Are direct plans now the default on mutual fund apps?
Trail per crore: the maths of a book: How much trail does a mutual fund distributor earn per crore of AUM?
Selling SIFs: What does a mutual fund distributor need to sell a Specialised Investment Fund?
PMS and AIF distribution: What rules apply to distributing PMS and AIFs in India?
What your ads may say: What must a mutual fund distributor’s advertisement include?
The finfluencer rules: What do SEBI’s finfluencer rules mean for mutual fund distributors?
Nominees, KYC and transmission: How many nominees can a mutual fund investor add, and what does a claim need?
XIRR vs CAGR for a client: What is the difference between XIRR and CAGR for a SIP?
Overlap and look-through: How do you measure the overlap between two mutual funds?
Rebalancing talk, within the rules: What advice can a mutual fund distributor give about rebalancing?
The fund tax clients ask about: How are mutual fund gains taxed in FY 2026-27?
Capital gains statements at CA time: How are gains on mutual fund units bought before 1 February 2018 worked out?
A client review: the data checklist: What records must an investment adviser or distributor keep for client reviews?
SWPs for retired clients: How is a systematic withdrawal plan taxed?
Goal SIPs in a child’s name: What are the rules for a mutual fund SIP in a minor’s name?
Records and the RIA audit: When must a SEBI-registered investment adviser complete its annual audit?
What happens to your ARN business: What happens to a mutual fund distributor’s trail after their death?
Becoming an RIA: What do you need to register as an investment adviser with SEBI?
Part-time investment advisers: What is a part-time investment adviser under SEBI’s rules?
Research analyst or adviser: What is the difference between a research analyst and an investment adviser?
Sub-distributors and EUINs on every sale: What happens if a mutual fund purchase has no EUIN?
Onboarding NRI clients from abroad: Can an NRI complete mutual fund KYC from abroad?
Exit loads: What is the maximum exit load a mutual fund can charge?
Stamp duty on purchases: How much stamp duty is charged on mutual fund purchases?
GST on your commission: Does a mutual fund distributor pay GST on commission?
Clawback: When can a fund house claw back a distributor’s commission?
Fund categories after 2026: What changed in SEBI’s mutual fund categories in 2026?
How an NFO works: How long can a mutual fund NFO stay open?
Accredited investors: Who qualifies as an accredited investor in India?
Complaints: T3_SCORES and T3_ODR: How long does a SEBI-registered firm have to answer a T3_SCORES complaint?
Overseas limits: How much can Indian mutual funds invest overseas?
Index funds: tracking error and difference: What is the difference between tracking error and tracking difference?
Debt fund risk: the PRC grid: What is the Potential Risk Class matrix for debt funds?
Gold and silver funds: How are gold ETFs and gold fund of funds taxed in India?
NRI clients: TDS and repatriation: How is tax deducted on mutual fund income paid to an NRI?
Arbitrage funds: Why are arbitrage funds taxed as equity funds?
KYD and empanelment: Can a distributor with an ARN sell any fund house’s schemes?
When commission stops: What happens to trail commission if a distributor’s ARN lapses?
MFCentral, MFU and the exchanges: What is MFCentral?
Two-factor checks and client contacts: Can a distributor put their own mobile number on a client’s folio?
Client data and the DPDP Act: Does the DPDP Act apply to a small mutual fund distributor?

For learning only, not investment advice. Built in India by a team that tracks its own money on Reva.