Vested vs Paasa

For Indian investors exploring global diversification, Vested and Paasa may appear similar at first glance. Both enable US equity investing and support INR remittance flows. But they’re designed for very different investing mindsets.

Vested is built as an alternative investment platform. It helps Indian retail investors go beyond domestic mutual funds and FDs, offering access to US stocks and ETFs, along with Indian bonds and solar infra.

Paasa, on the other hand, supports a broader geographic universe including the U.S., UK, Europe, and China. It is structured around the needs of larger portfolios typically managed by HNIs, family offices, and institutional investors.

This blog breaks down where each platform fits.

Infrastructure Overview
Feature Comparison
FEMA Compliance
Tax Reporting
Technology Features
Investor Fit
Client Support

Infrastructure Overview

Attribute	Vested	Paasa
Account Setup	₹250 (one-time)	Free
Trading infrastructure	DriveWealth	Interactive Brokers
Market Access	US only	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 ideal for small-ticket US investing, whereas Paasa is structured for HNIs, family offices, and compliance-heavy mandates.

Feature Comparison

Attribute		Vested	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: Both platforms work well for casual U.S. investing. But if you're looking beyond that into other markets, advanced tools, managed portfolios, or interest on idle funds only Paasa delivers, offering up to 3.83% on uninvested cash over $10,000.

FEMA Compliance

Attribute		Vested	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.

Tax Reporting

Attribute		Vested	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	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 among small-ticket retail investors, while Paasa is valued for its depth and ability to accommodate custom feature requests often essential for large-ticket investors.

Investor Fit

Investor Type	Vested	Paasa
First-time US investor	✅	✅
SIP-style Retail Investor	❌	✅
HNIs	Requires technical know-how	Built for scale and customization
Family Offices	No reporting or structuring tools	Concierge, entity-level control
Institutional Investors	Not built for complex needs	Concierge, entity-level control

Client Support

Attribute	Vested	Paasa
Onboarding Support	✅	✅
Dedicated relationship manager	✅	✅
Expert concierge (FEMA, Tax)	❌	✅
Custom Portfolio Structuring	❌	✅
Customize features on request	❌	✅
Exit or Migration Support	❌	✅

Conclusion

Vested is a great starting point for Indian investors who want a smooth, guided entry into U.S. equities with optional curated portfolios. It’s retail-friendly, simple, and ideal for small to medium allocations.

But if your goals go beyond one geography or if you’re managing larger sums and care about remittance, tax visibility, or compliance, Paasa offers the infrastructure you need. It brings global access, documentation depth, and concierge support together in one stack.

Both are valuable. The difference is in the depth and the scale they’re built for.

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.

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