# SEBI lets FPIs use digital signatures for Power of Attorney 2026-08-21T05:25:19+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 5 independent outlets (6 source reports) The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to submit a digitally signed Power of Attorney (PoA) to their custodians, eliminating the need for notarisation, apostillisation or consularisation. The move, announced on August 20, 2026, is part of the regulator's ongoing efforts to digitalise the FPI registration and onboarding process, making it faster and more efficient. Under the revised rule, FPIs can execute the PoA using a digital signature compliant with the Information Technology Act, 2000. SEBI has also previously introduced measures such as a Common Application Form, use of Indian digital signatures, and registration based on scanned copies. The new provision will come into effect from August 20, 2026. Separately, SEBI has also proposed changes to KYC rules for non-resident investors, including NRIs and OCIs, to allow fully digital onboarding from their country of residence. The proposal, currently under consultation, could reduce account activation time from weeks to days, according to Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath. The draft rule applies to investors from FATF-compliant countries. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The coverage across all six sources is uniform straight reporting with no discernible slant. Every outlet accurately reports SEBI's circular on digitally signed PoAs for FPIs, the effective date, and the KYC consultation paper. The neutral-report stance is consistent. The key implication is that SEBI is systematically reducing documentation friction for overseas capital. The FPI digital PoA rule is now in effect, while the NRI KYC proposal remains open for public feedback. Investors should track the consultation timeline for the KYC changes, as the proposal could unlock a significant durable inflow of NRI capital into Indian markets. ## Coverage Coverage: 6 sources, 6 neutral - economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight reporting with quotes from Nithin Kamath, no editorial slant. - livemint.com (neutral report) Explains the proposal clearly with expert views, no slant. - legal.economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Agency-style reporting, purely factual on the circular. - thehindubusinessline.com (neutral report) Factual report on the circular, neutral and balanced. - businesstoday.in (neutral report) Straight news report, no framing or opinion. - rediff.com (neutral report) PTI wire copy, neutral and factual. This story was synthesised by AI from the 6 sources linked above. Tags: FPI, KYC, Nithin Kamath, NRI, SEBI Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/sebi-lets-fpis-use-digital-signatures-for-power-of-attorney/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/sebi-lets-fpis-use-digital-signatures-for-power-of-attorney/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/