By FMTeam The brokerage firm Zerodha is one of the largest in the country and has over 10 million clients. This discount brokerage firm was co-founded by Nikhil Kamath and his older brother, Nithin Kamath. They also co-founded their Rainmatter, which invests in Fintech companies and ventures and help enhance their financial inclusion. Also, their investment management firm, True Beacon aims at ultra-high net worth investors and streamlines their investment portfolio.
| Feature | Details |
| Name | Nikhil Kamath |
| Occupation | Co-Founder of Zerodha and True Beacon |
| Known For | Co-founding Zerodha, a discount brokerage firm that revolutionized the Indian stock market |
| Net Worth | As per Forbes 2024, its net worth is $3.1 billion. |
| Age | 37 years |
| Education | School dropout |
| Other Ventures | Rainmatter, a venture capital funding company, and True Beacon, an asset management company |
| Notable Achievements | In June 2023, he became the youngest Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, vowing to donate a minimum of half of his wealth to charitable endeavors. |
Nikhil Kamath is the youngest billionaire in India, with a total asset value of $3.1 billion, according to the Forbes Tycoons Rundown 2024. In the year 2010, Kamath established the Zerodha brokerage firm with his sibling Nithin Kanath. The firm offers financier administrations to manage the monetary standards, stocks and commodities. His firm presented the rebate business model along with Zerodah that reduces the commission that is charged for exchanges, thus empowering a majority of the people to contribute.
Kamath also helped in the establishment of Giving Pi, an organization that assists high net-worth people to channel their resources into the Indian business sector with the help of pooled venture vehicles.
Nikhil Kamath’s Journey:
Nithin and his brother Nikhil Kamath cofounded the Zerodah in the year 2010, which became a grand success, and flaunts over 12 million clients in the country, growing to one of the country’s biggest firms. They then began Rainmatter, and opened funding asset and hatchery centers to help divert resources into the fintech organization and to support their monetary movements. Together, they started their new venture, Giving Pi, which is a wealth management company that aims at improving and enhancing the worth of high-net-worth individuals.
Early life and childhood:
Nikhil Kamath dropped out of high school at the age of 14 years. As he departed from formal education at an early age, he pursued his interest in learning practical business. He was a state-level chess player, and he credits the game for having taught him the essence of patience, analytical thinking, and strategy. He started working at a call center at the age of 17 years. He saved up the money he earned here and started dabbling in stock trading.
Success in stock trading:
Nikhil began to learn the nuances of stock trading through self-education and with the help of hands-on experience. He initially invested in equity and developed a knack for it. He then partnered with his brother Nithin Kamath and formed a stock trading partnership. This actually laid the foundation for the existence of his brokerage firm, Zerodha.
Forming Zerodha:
It was in the year 2010 that the two brothers launched Zerodha, which means zero barriers. The name of their business reflects on their mission of eliminating all barriers for the traders. Zerodha was one of the first-ever discount brokerage firms that significantly handled the trading cost of retail investors. The disruptive pricing model of Zerodha, which includes the concept of zero brokerage for equity investments along with a flat fee range for futures and intraday trading, made it stand apart from the rest of the traditional brokerage firms. It also attracted a number of retail investors.
Achievements and Recognition:
Nikhil Kamath ahs been featured in the list of Forbes’ Billionaires, highlighting its net worth of $3.1 billion as of 2024. Zerodha has grown over the years, amassing over 10 million clients in 2024. In the financial year 2023, Zerodha reported INR 6875 crores in revenue, and its profit after tax is INR 2907 crores.
Overall, Under his leadership, Zerotha is playing an important role in democratizing the stock markets across the country and making them easily accessible to the general public. His journey from a high school dropout to a billionaire entrepreneur exemplifies his power of resilience, strategic thinking, and his desire to achieve success.