With SEBI indicating that CKYC 2.0 is targeted for a potential end-July 2026 rollout, India’s centralised KYC system is poised for a significant upgrade. The framework is expected to shift from a largely static database to a real-time, API-driven identity infrastructure integrated with systems such as Aadhaar, UPI, Account Aggregator, and DigiLocker. From static records…
Investors should combine active and passive mutual fund strategies to navigate ongoing market volatility and meet long-term financial goals, according to ICRA Analytics. The firm said portfolio construction should be guided by risk appetite, investment horizon, and objective-based allocation, rather than choosing between the two approaches in isolation. It noted that passive strategies tend to…
Travel insurance adoption among Indian travellers rose 22% year-on-year in 2026, reflecting stronger risk awareness and a shift in travel behaviour, according to data from Policybazaar.com. The growth comes alongside a preference for closer international destinations, with Asia-Pacific emerging as the dominant region for outbound travel. Japan recorded the highest surge in bookings, rising 17%…
Commercial insurance rates across the India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) region declined by an average of 10% in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Global Insurance Market Index released by Marsh. The fall was among the steepest globally and was driven by strong market capacity, increased insurer competition, and stable reinsurer participation….
Bajaj Life Insurance has declared a record bonus of ₹1,939 crore for participating policyholders for the financial year 2025–26 (FY26), its highest ever so far. The company said the payout will benefit over 11.89 lakh policyholders holding eligible participating policies. The bonus is 5.8% higher compared with ₹1,833 crore declared for FY25. It will be…
A systematic investment plan (SIP) of ₹10,000 in the Kotak Bond Short Term Fund would have grown to about ₹74.2 lakh over the period since its inception on May 2, 2002, according to fund disclosures. The scheme has completed 24 years and has delivered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.94% (direct plan growth…
India’s tax system has adopted an AI-first, data-driven compliance framework, while corporate systems continue to adjust to the transition, according to ClearTax’s State of Tax Assurance Report 2026. Based on insights from over 100 CFOs and analysis of more than 12 crore enterprise tax transactions across sectors such as manufacturing, retail, logistics, e-commerce and FMCG,…
The Microfinance Industry Network (MFIN) has highlighted concerns over the rise of misinformation campaigns falsely promising loan waivers, following a recent advisory issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In a press release dated May 4, the RBI cautioned the public against unauthorised entities and individuals circulating misleading claims related to debt relief, including…
Santosh Joseph, Founder & Partner at Germinate Investor Services LLP, says actively managed largecap and midcap funds continue to reward investors despite market volatility. He highlighted the consistent performance of funds from ICICI Prudential, Nippon India, HDFC and Kotak, driven by strong stock selection, sector rotation and experienced fund managers. He also noted that midcap…
Jio BlackRock Mutual Fund, a 50:50 joint venture between Jio Financial Services and BlackRock, has received approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to start operations in GIFT City. “We are pleased to share that we received our final license for setting up our entity in GIFT City. Through that, we want to…
