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Market Intelligence › Basic Terminologies
What a registration number means, and what it does and does not guarantee
Published by The Retail Trader · AUG 04, 2026 · Compliance & Regulation
Every advisory claims to be SEBI registered. Verifying that claim takes a minute, and for an honest advisor it is never a problem.
The record of registered intermediaries is in SEBI's own public database. The name, the registration number and the validity — all three should match there.
The registration number follows a format and it indicates the category — research analyst, investment adviser and broker are all different categories.
This is the most commonly misunderstood point:
• Registration is not a guarantee of performance.
• Registration does not mean SEBI has approved their calls — it absolutely does not.
• Even a registered entity can give wrong advice — registration only provides accountability.
• The registration category matters: a research analyst cannot give personalised advice.
The real benefit of registration is that an official route opens up when something goes wrong. The problem with an unregistered advisory is not only quality — there is also nowhere to file a complaint.
This article is for educational purposes only — it is not a buy or sell recommendation, makes no guaranteed-return claim, and is not advisory. Rules, rates and mechanics are changed from time to time by the exchanges, SEBI and RBI, so verify every number yourself with your broker or an official source.