Frequently Asked Questions

Jiraaf’s “Invest More, Earn More” feature rewards you with higher Yield to Maturity (YTM) when you invest in larger quantities of a bond.

For example:

• One unit of investment might earn you 12.00% YTM
• Two units could yield you 12.25% YTM
• Five or more units could push YTM to 12.50%

Note: Actual YTM rates and the number of units required to unlock higher yields vary by bond.

The “Invest More, Earn More” feature on Jiraaf helps you increase your returns. By investing in higher quantities of a bond, you can unlock better Yield to Maturity (YTM) rates.

While the exact YTM and unit thresholds vary by bond, larger investments are rewarded with higher yields — making your capital work harder for you.

All bonds listed on Jiraaf are SEBI-regulated and listed on BSE/NSE, so you can grow your portfolio with added confidence and transparency.

Jiraaf’s bonds are carefully curated, listed on BSE/NSE, and vetted by our internal risk committee. However, like all investments, bonds do carry some level of risk.

We recommend that you review the bond’s credit rating, issuer financials, and terms to ensure they align with your personal risk tolerance and investment goals.

No, the YTM is based on the number of units purchased in a single transaction. To unlock a higher YTM, you must invest the required quantity at the time of purchase.

Any subsequent investments will be treated as separate transactions and won’t be combined for YTM calculations.

The “Invest More, Earn More” feature is available on select bonds listed on Jiraaf, marked with “Invest More, Earn More” tag in the bond details.

You can easily filter for these bonds on the platform or connect with your relationship manager to make the most of this feature.

An After Market Order, or AMO, allows an investor to place an order before and after regular market working days and hours. Markets are typically open Monday through Friday between 9:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., excluding national holidays. With the AMO feature now available on Jiraaf, investors can place an order at their convenience almost 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

• Ease of Investment: You can place orders during non-market hours.
• Ample amount of Research time: You get adequate time to go through all necessary documents, even during off-market hours, and trigger an investment post the same.
• Pre-booking option: AMO basically works as a pre-booking option, which helps you take advantage of great investment opportunities

AMO order placement is no different from a regular order placement. The investment flow remains the same, and the payment will be initiated immediately via the payment gateway. The AMO order will be raised only if the payment is successful.  

Once the transaction is successful, the purchased units will be transferred to your Demat account on settlement day.

Yes, investors receive an email from Jiraaf with all the order details, like deal name, executed price, etc., after they place their orders on the platform.

No, investors are NOT allowed to cancel an AMO order once it has been placed. Please initiate the order ONLY if you plan to complete the purchase. Your AMO order will be placed only if you complete the payment. It will not be canceled once you complete the payment and raise the AMO.

If the payment for your AMO order fails, you will have a 3-hour window to retry and complete the payment. If you do not complete the payment within this time frame, your order will expire, and you will need to place a new order. 

If you do not complete the payment for your AMO order, your order will not be raised with the Exchange. However, you can come back and raise new orders anytime.  

Outside the working day trading hours (9:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.), the AMO order facility is available for the majority of the day except 30 minutes earlier in the working day (8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.) and one hour later (3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.). On weekends and holidays, there are no limitations.

Trading Day (Working Business Days)

Non-Trading Day (Holidays and Weekends)

*Settlement Day will need to be a business trading day. If it falls on a weekend or a holiday, it would be processed on the next business day and the price would be reflective of the same.

• A resident Indian individual or HUF
• Someone whose estimated tax liability for the year is nil
• Holding a valid PAN

1. Generate and download your pre-filled Form 121 directly from Jiraaf. The option is available for bonds where TDS is applicable.
2. Email the form to the respective bond issuer before your next interest payment date.
3. You can find the issuer email address and sample email on the Investment Details page for each bond on Jiraaf.

A corporate bond is a debt instrument issued by private or public corporations to raise capital for business expansion, capital expenditure, or refinancing debt. When investing in a corporate bond, you lend capital to the company. In exchange, the issuer commits to paying you regular interest payments at a fixed or floating rate, known as the coupon rate. At the end of the bond’s specified term (maturity date), the company returns your original principal amount in full.

Yes, investing in corporate bonds is an excellent option for investors seeking higher returns than traditional bank deposits while maintaining lower risk than equity markets. They provide a predictable stream of fixed returns, helping you earn profits while stabilizing portfolio volatility. By choosing top-rated bonds from reputable companies, you can balance corporate bond interest rates with manageable risk, making them an ideal component for medium-to-long-term wealth preservation and steady cash flow generation.

Determining the best corporate bonds in India depends on your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and target return. Generally, AAA-rated and AA+-rated bonds issued by financially robust corporate houses, public sector units, or leading Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) offer the optimal balance of high safety and attractive yields. You should also review the issuer’s financial health, credit rating history, coupon frequency, and liquidity on stock exchanges before choosing the bond that aligns with your specific financial strategy.

No financial instrument is entirely risk-free. While corporate bonds are generally safer than equities, they carry inherent risks, including credit risk (the issuer defaulting on payments), interest rate risk, and liquidity risk, among others. However, you can significantly mitigate these risks by focusing on high-grade bonds rated AAA or AA by SEBI-registered rating agencies. Diversifying across different companies and sectors further reduces potential default risk, ensuring your capital remains well-protected while earning reliable returns.

Corporate bonds often outperform bank Fixed Deposits (FDs) by offering higher yields, making them attractive for investors seeking better returns. While FDs are backed by deposit insurance up to ₹5 lakh per bank, top-rated corporate bonds in India provide higher payout potential alongside secondary market liquidity via stock exchange trading. If you want higher regular income and are comfortable choosing AAA-rated corporate issuers, corporate bonds can be a superior choice compared to conventional low-yielding bank FDs.

The three safest investment avenues in India are Sovereign Government Bonds (G-Secs / T-Bills), Public Provident Fund (PPF) / Sovereign Gold Bonds, and Bank Fixed Deposits backed by DICGC insurance. These options carry explicit government backing or statutory guarantees, minimizing credit default risk. High-rated AAA corporate bonds follow closely behind, offering institutional-grade safety along with higher yields than standard government instruments, bridging the gap between capital safety and wealth accumulation.

Yes, many corporate bonds offer monthly coupon payout options to suit investors seeking regular passive cash flow. Depending on the bond’s issue structure, payouts can be structured monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, or as cumulative growth options where interest compounds until maturity. When reviewing a list of corporate bonds in India, you can filter available options by coupon frequency to select bonds that align perfectly with your personal monthly income or cash-flow requirements.

Comparing a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) in equity mutual funds to a corporate bond depends on your goal. Equity SIPs target long-term capital appreciation by riding market volatility, but they carry higher risk with no guaranteed returns. Conversely, corporate bonds offer fixed, regular payouts with significantly lower volatility and capital preservation. For wealth creation over long horizons, SIPs excel; for regular income, capital stability, and fixed corporate bond returns, corporate bonds are the better instrument.

High-net-worth investors buy corporate bonds primarily for capital preservation, predictable cash flow, and strategic portfolio diversification. Wealthy investors prioritize protecting accumulated capital against inflation while securing steady cash flows to fund lifestyle or business needs. Bonds allow them to lock in attractive yields without exposing large amounts of wealth to equity market downturns. Additionally, institutional-grade debt provides reliable collateral for credit facilities, making bonds a foundational pillar of sophisticated wealth management strategies.

Compared to conventional fixed income avenues like fixed deposits or recurring deposits, listed corporate bonds provide better annual returns at varied risk levels, from low to high, typically yielding between 8% and 18%.

A corporate FD is a fixed deposit issued ONLY by financial institutions for a defined tenure, and it typically offers better returns than bank FDs. On the other hand, corporate bonds are fixed-income securities that allow organizations to raise funds for various needs without diluting ownership and generally offer better returns than corporate FDs. 

Corporate bonds’ maturities range from long (more than ten years) to medium (four to ten years) and short (less than three years). Generally, long-term bonds entail additional risks but offer better interest rates.

As the names imply, bonds issued by public or private organizations are called corporate bonds, and those issued by the government are called government bonds.

Treasury bills are debt instruments that come in 3 tenures (91 days, 182 days, and 364 days) and are sold below their face value. In other words, investors buy these instruments at discounted prices but get the full value when the T-bills mature.

Corporate bonds have long maturities, higher risk, better returns, and periodic repayment schedules defined by the advertised coupon rate compared to Treasury bills, which are government securities with shorter tenures, zero coupon rates, sold at a discount, and almost zero risk with repayment made at maturity.

Treasury bills are issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on behalf of the Indian Government. Their interest rate is determined by market forces, and the RBI conducts auctions at regular intervals to sell T-bills, which can be purchased by trusts, individuals, banks, and institutions.

As of March 2025, T-bills in India fetch yields ranging from 6.19% for 91 days to 6.59% for 182 days, and 6.63% for 364 days.

You can purchase T-bills from a broker or bank that has permission to participate in the RBI auction. To purchase Treasury bills, you need a trading platform, a Demat account, and a trading account. Customers can also purchase T-bills in the secondary market or online bond platforms.

The primary difference between these is that SDLs are issued for state governments, and G-Secs are issued for the central government. This makes them some of the best bonds for conservative investors to invest in India, with risk close to zero and returns better than fixed deposits (FDs). Both are backed by the RBI. G-Sec's tenure ranges from 5 years to 40 years, and that of SDLs is typically 10 years but can be higher.

Investors can better plan and align their investment strategies with their financial goals by opting for SDL target maturity funds. These funds have a fixed maturity term, pay interest semi-annually, and repay the principal at maturity. They also offer liquidity benefits to investors as they have no lock-in period.

SDLs carry lesser risk compared to corporate bonds. Additionally, they are backed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which has the authority to repay holders of SDL securities using money that the central government allocates to states.

The Reserve Bank of India issues G-Secs on behalf of the central government. You can invest in these bonds through your Demat account by registering on the NSE goBID app, directly via the RBI Retail Direct portal, or the Jiraaf platform.

As of March 20, 2025, the yield on a seven-year Indian G-Sec (Government Security) is around 6.754%.

Government securities in India can be bought by trusts, companies, HUFs (Hindu Undivided Family), financial institutions, mutual funds, and NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), apart from retail investors.

A fixed deposit allows you to invest a lump sum for a predetermined period at a fixed interest rate. The interest earned on your deposit compounds over time, and at maturity, you receive both the principal and interest. You can get FDs from banks and financial institutions as a low-risk investment option, to achieve your financial goals with certainty and safety.

Every investment asset has a different role to play in your portfolio. FDs provide guaranteed returns with minimal risk. They help preserve your capital and even grow it in volatile markets, offering liquidity and predictable interest. Large bank FDs might not always beat inflation, but they can be used conveniently for short-term goals or to build emergency funds or to cushion your portfolio from volatility. FDs from small banks and NBFCs can even help you beat inflation.

Financial institutions offer a variety of fixed deposit accounts to suit different needs. These include standard FDs with fixed returns, tax-saving FDs that qualify for Section 80C deductions, and senior citizen FDs, that offer higher interest rates. Flexi FDs are linked to your savings account for automatic investments, while NRI FDs are designed for non-resident Indians. Choose the FD type that best aligns with your financial goals.

Fixed deposits offer tenures ranging from 7 days to 10 years. Short-term FDs provide liquidity for emergencies or urgent requirements, while long-term FDs maximize returns through the power of compounding. The best strategy is to opt for FD laddering wherein you invest in multiple FDs with different maturity dates to strike a balance between liquidity and returns.

To be eligible for opening an FD account, you must be an Indian citizen, whether you are a resident or a non-resident. Eligible entities include individuals, companies, partnership firms, businesses, senior citizens, and minors. The essential documents required typically include proof of identity, proof of address, and proof of date of birth. Keep in mind that the specific process and documentation requirements may vary across different financial institutions.

Banks are not the only ones to offer FDs. NBFCs and India Post Offices can also offer fixed deposits.
As per Section 451(c) of the RBI Act, NBFCs can carry the business of a financial institution without a full banking licence. NBFCs offer FDs, credit facilities, savings & investment plans, insurance, etc.

A payout account is the designated bank account where the funds from your fixed deposit (FD) will be credited upon maturity. This is the account where you will receive your investment returns. For safety and security reasons, it is mandatory to provide your own bank account details to receive the payout.

The frequency at which interest is compounded for Fixed Deposits varies by institution. For example, bank interests typically compound on a quarterly basis. At Bajaj, the compounding frequency is annual, while at Shriram, interest is compounded monthly.

Yes, KYC is mandatory for opening a Fixed Deposit account to comply with regulatory requirements and ensure the authenticity of the account holder.

You need to provide proof of identity (e.g., Aadhaar card, PAN card), proof of address (e.g., utility bill, passport), and proof of date of birth.

CKYC stands for Central Know Your Customer, an initiative by the Government of India. It streamlines the customer onboarding process by consolidating all relevant KYC information in one place.
Consent is necessary to access this data because it contains your personal information. We use this information to ensure a safer and faster onboarding process.

Video KYC is mandated by RBI guidelines as a verification step for all investors.
In the rare event that your Video KYC process fails, you can retry the investment within 2 days of booking the FD during banking hours.

The money is deducted and invested with the bank before completing Video KYC to ensure you start earning interest immediately. This step is taken to avoid any delay in interest accumulation.
If the Video KYC process is not completed, the bank will refund your money within 7 working days.

In the unlikely event that your payment fails but the amount has been deducted from your account, there's no need to worry. The deducted amount will be refunded to your source account within 2 to 4 working days.