Vested, Interactive Brokers (IBKR), and Paasa all enable global investing, but the way they do it and who they’re built for, is fundamentally different.
- Vested is built as a simple alternative investment tool for Indian retail investors to access U.S. equities. It’s ideal for those moving beyond domestic mutual funds into curated US portfolios, Indian bonds and solar projects.
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR), on the other hand, is a global brokerage infrastructure. It offers unmatched market depth, low-cost execution, and access to 150+ markets but expects users to handle compliance, remittance, and reporting on their own.
- Paasa sits in between. It is an ecosystem tailored to Indian HNIs and family offices: combining IBKR’s global access with FEMA, tax, and scale-specific support.
Table of Contents
- Infrastructure Overview
- Feature Comparison
- FEMA Compliance
- Tax Reporting
- Technology Features
- Investor Fit
- Client Support
Infrastructure Overview
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa |
Account Setup | ₹250 (one-time) | Free | Free |
Trading infrastructure | Powered by DriveWealth | Industry-leading proprietary platform | Powered by Interactive Brokers |
Market Access | US only | Global - US, Europe, UK, China and more | Global - US, Europe, UK, China and more |
Custody of assets under client's name | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
FEMA & LRS Support | Basic | ❌ | Advance |
Tax Reporting (India) | Basic | ❌ | Advance |
INR-based Returns & Analytics | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Human Advisory | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Onboarding Support | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Remittance Integration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
SIPC Insurance | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Note: Vested is built for small-ticket investing, whereas IBKR is pure infrastructure, fast and global, but leaves LRS and tax work to the investor. Paasa combines IBKR’s depth with the India-facing structure needed at a larger scale.
Feature Comparison
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa | |
Direct trading | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Real-time execution | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Product Universe | US Stocks & ETFs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Other markets (China, UK, Europe, etc) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Managed Portfolios | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
UCITS portfolios | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
AIFs | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
Fractional Shares | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Auto-rebalanced UCITS portfolios | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Interest on uninvested cash | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Withdraw money to US bank account | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Note: UCITS portfolios are preferred by many Indian investors for US estate tax protection and global diversification.
FEMA Compliance
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa | |
Digital remittance under LRS | Self-declaration templates for Indian banks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Remittance support at low rates | Limited visibility, fixed margin | ❌ | Bank-rate negotiation per investor | |
Bank formalities & Holding Declaration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Tracking and Confirmation | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Compliance queries | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Note: FEMA compliance is critical when sending money abroad under LRS. Many Indian investors unknowingly use incorrect purpose codes during remittance which can lead to reporting issues, delays, or tax scrutiny later.
Note: Vested’s compliance support is generic and better suited for small-ticket flows. For HNIs or family offices wiring larger sums, Paasa provides the deeper documentation and structured setup these allocations typically require.
Tax Reporting
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa | |
Tax Analytics | Dividend Tax Tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Capital Gains Tax Calculation (STCG/LTCG) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Accumulating ETFs | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
Tax Loss Harvesting | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Year-End Tax Statement for Indian Investors | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
UCITS portfolios for tax savings | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
Technology Features
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa |
Mobile App & Web View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Market and Limit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Stop loss | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Trailing stop loss | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Withdraw funds to any bank account | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Mutual funds tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
XIRR calculation for position | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Benchmarking & Backtesting | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
INR gain/loss computation (blended FX) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Web dashboard for reporting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Trader Workstation (TWS) for advanced traders | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Custom features (family offices, institutional needs) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Note: Vested is known for its ease of use, IBKR for its pro-level depth, while Paasa is valued for both its depth and its ability to accommodate custom feature requests often essential for large-ticket investors.
Investor Fit
Investor Type | Vested | IBKR | Paasa |
First-time US investor | ✅
Easy Onboarding | ❌
Higher Friction | ✅
Easy Onboarding |
SIP-style Retail Investor | ❌
No SIP options | ❌ Not optimal for tiny flows | ✅
Suited |
HNIs | Limited Tax/Remit control | Good but requires Tax & LRS know-how
| Built for scale and customization + India-facing layer |
Family Offices | No reporting or structuring tools | Good but lacks technical customisation + India-facing layer | Concierge, entity-level control + India-facing layer |
Institutional Investors | Not built for complex needs | Good but lacks technical customisation + India-facing layer | Concierge, entity-level control + India-facing layer |
Client Support
Attribute | Vested | IBKR | Paasa |
Onboarding Support | Self-serve & guided setup | Self-serve | Self-serve & guided setup |
Dedicated relationship manager | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Expert concierge (FEMA, Tax) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Custom Portfolio Structuring | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Customize features on request | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Exit or Migration Support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Conclusion
These platforms are not competing for the same investor, they are built around different needs.
If your goal is to simply access U.S. stocks with ease, Vested offers a retail-friendly entry point.
If you're a pro trader who wants raw access and low execution costs across markets, IBKR delivers but without the India-facing layers you may need.
And if you're managing serious capital and want the control, compliance, and reporting built for Indian HNIs, family offices, and institutions, Paasa gives you the infrastructure stack to invest globally without the chaos.
Choosing the right platform is less about features and more about alignment, between your capital, your context, and your long-term approach to global investing.
About Paasa
Paasa is a global investing platform built specifically for Indian HNIs, family offices, and institutional investors, helping them invest across the US, UK, Europe, and China with tools that simplify LRS, remittance, tax reporting, and cross-border complexity.
Disclaimer
This content is for general informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial, legal, or professional advice from Paasa. While we strive for accuracy, the information may change over time. Paasa makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees, whether express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. The comparison is based on publicly available data and is intended to assist users in making informed decisions. It is not a substitute for professional advice or consultation with financial experts. Please review the terms of use and product availability for your region, or visit the service provider's website for the latest pricing and service information.
