SEBI's total income rises 48% to ₹2,075 crore in 2023-24

Capital markets regulator SEBI's total income rose 48% year-on-year to ₹2,075 crore in 2023-24, driven by increased earnings from fees and subscriptions.

Of the total income, the regulator earned a fee income of ₹1,851.5 crore, which was way higher than ₹1,213.22 crore garnered in the preceding financial year, according to SEBI's annual statement of accounts 2023-24 made public on Tuesday.

Additionally, income from investments widened to ₹192.41 crore from ₹161.42 crore and other income increased to nearly ₹18 crore from close to ₹15 crore.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) acknowledged that fees and subscriptions are the major sources of its income.

This category of income included earnings from annual fees and subscriptions, listing fees contribution from stock exchanges, income generated from registration, renewal, application and offer documents filed by companies and market infrastructure institutions.

Overall, the market watchdog's total income rose to ₹2,075 crore in the financial year ended March 31, 2024 from ₹1,404.36 crore in the preceding fiscal, indicating a growth of 48%, the annual accounts showed.

Apart from total income, the total expenditure of the regulator rose to ₹1,006 crore for the year ended March 31, 2024, from ₹851.33 crore in the previous fiscal,

The establishment expenses grew to ₹696.43 crore during the period under review from ₹576 crore in the preceding fiscal and other administrative expenses increased to ₹218 crore from ₹172.42 crore.

SEBI said its general fund has a closing balance of ₹5,573 crore including an amount of ₹1,065 crore as surplus income over expenditure transferred from the Income and Expenditure Account for financial year 2023-24. Earmarked funds include the Investor Protection & Education Fund (IPEF) and the disgorgement fund.

IPEF has a closing balance of ₹533.17 crore including income from investment of ₹27.66 crore and the Disgorgement Fund has ₹7.38 crore for FY24.

Out of total investment of ₹2,521.23 crore, SEBI invested ₹1,255.31 crore in bonds and government securities during FY24 and ₹1,235.92 crore as deposits with scheduled banks and ₹30 crore as subscription towards NCFE.

Earmarked Funds (IPEF and Disgorgement Fund) are invested as deposits in banks amounting to ₹482 crore.