Online bond platforms have opened up a new vista of opportunities to build a diversified fixed income portfolio. These platforms offer bonds across the spectrum of the bond market— government securities, state development loans, municipal and corporate bonds, secured and unsecured bonds, market-linked debentures, and even sovereign gold bonds.
Market watchdog Sebi recently introduced norms for online bond platforms (OBP), which were operating in a regulatory vacuum earlier. These platforms can now offer only listed or soon-to-be listed securities, and are barred from offering unlisted bonds even via an affiliated platform or website.
