Trading, Settlement & Financial Rules.
Every algorithmic trader on NSE/BSE must understand the exact operational rules enforced by MudraVault, your broker's Risk Management System (Zerodha Kite / Dhan), and SEBI/Clearing Corporations.
01
MudraVault Platform Execution & Capital Allocation Rules
Built-in algorithmic guardrails that govern every automated order
MudraVault Platform Execution & Capital Allocation Rules
Built-in algorithmic guardrails that govern every automated order
Strict Deployable Capital Formula
The bot never trades your entire broker balance blindly. At the start of every scan cycle, deployable capital is strictly bounded by:
Safe Money Reserve Ratchet Rule
Whenever a trade closes in positive Net Realized Profit, your configured profit-sweep percentage is added to your Safe Money Reserve Floor. This reserve acts as a one-way ratchet: it can only increase as you win, and the bot is blocked from dipping into locked vault capital even after a losing trade.
Pre-Trade Bid-Ask Spread Sanity Gate
To prevent entering illiquid stocks or getting trapped by freak stub quotes, MudraVault inspects live Level-1 market depth prior to every entry. Any equity symbol with a bid-ask spread wider than 2.0% (or 5.0% on options) is automatically skipped.
Broker RMS Rejection Quarantine Rule
If your broker's Risk Management System (RMS) rejects an order for any reason (insufficient margin, surveillance stage `ASM/GSM/T2T`, or OI strike limits), MudraVault immediately quarantines that symbol for 60 minutes so your account never triggers rapid retry loops.
02
Broker & Exchange Order Execution Rules (Zerodha Kite & Dhan)
Critical NSE/BSE & broker order-matching rules every trader must respect
Broker & Exchange Order Execution Rules (Zerodha Kite & Dhan)
Critical NSE/BSE & broker order-matching rules every trader must respect
| Rule Name | Official Broker / Exchange Rule | Critical Edge Case / Risk Trap | Best-Practice Protocol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intraday `MIS` Auto Square-Off Cutoff | Open intraday (`MIS` / `CO`) equity positions are automatically squared off by broker RMS between 3:20 PM and 3:25 PM IST (and 3:12 PM IST for Closing Auction Session stocks). | Letting broker RMS auto-square-off your trade incurs a flat penalty of ₹50 + 18% GST (`₹59`) per executed order. Furthermore, if an `MIS` short-sell locks in an Upper Circuit with zero sellers, it defaults into a crippling Exchange Short-Delivery Auction (`up to 20%+` penalty). | Close intraday positions or convert `MIS -> CNC/NRML` (requires 100% margin) before 3:10 PM IST. Never short illiquid low-float stocks in `MIS`. |
| Options `SL-M` Ban & `SL-L` LPP Corridor | NSE/BSE permanently discontinued Stop-Loss Market (`SL-M`) orders on Options. Traders must use Stop-Loss Limit (`SL-L`) orders inside the exchange's Limit Price Protection (`LPP`) range. | If your `Limit` is only `₹0.05` away from your `Trigger`, fast gamma spikes skip your stop-loss completely. If your `Limit` is too far (`> 10%–20%`), NSE rejects the order on placement. | Use a calibrated `2% to 4%` Trigger-to-Limit cushion on `SL-L` orders so the limit acts as an immediate marketable fill on trigger. |
| GTT Gap-Down Execution Rule | Good-Till-Triggered (`GTT`) orders fire a resting Limit Order into the exchange book when Last Traded Price (`LTP`) breaches the Trigger Price. | If a stock closes at ₹500, you set `GTT Trigger = ₹480, Limit = ₹478`, and the stock opens at ₹440 (Gap-Down) at 9:15 AM, your ₹478 Sell Limit order sits unfilled while the stock crashes further. | Always set a 3%–5% spread between Trigger and Limit on protective GTT stop-losses, AND activate Digital DDPI so GTT sell orders don't stall waiting for daily CDSL TPIN + OTP. |
| Freeze Quantity, Slicing & Disclosed Qty | F&O orders exceeding the exchange Freeze Limit are split via Auto-Slicing or sequential Iceberg Orders (Limit only). Equities support native Disclosed Quantity (min 10%). | Every Auto-Sliced child order and every Iceberg leg is billed as a separate executed order (`₹20 × N slices`). | When trading large Equity (`CNC`/`MIS`) blocks, use Disclosed Quantity (10%) (billed as 1 single ₹20 order) instead of multi-leg Icebergs. |
| Pre-Market (`9:00–9:07 AM`) & `AMO` Rule | Equity Pre-Open accepts orders strictly from 9:00:00 AM to 9:06:59 AM IST. Between 9:07 AM and 9:15 AM, the book is locked for Equilibrium Price discovery. | Orders placed between 9:07 AM and 9:14:59 AM are automatically rejected with an `Outside Trading Hours` error. | Queue After-Market Orders (`AMO`) before 8:58 AM, or place live orders from 9:15:00 AM onward. |
| 15% Broker OI Strike Cap (`Nudge` Rule) | SEBI caps any single broker at 15% of Market-Wide OI or ₹500 Cr per F&O contract. Brokers block naked overnight (`NRML`) buying of far-OTM index options when hit. | Attempting to buy restricted far-OTM strikes in `NRML` triggers a Nudge rejection, whereas `MIS` (Intraday) and Option Writing remain open. | When building hedged spreads, always execute the Short leg first (or use a Basket) to unlock hedged OTM buying, or trade intraday via `MIS`. |
03
Profit Realization, Loss Penalties & Settlement Rules (`T+1`)
How profits, BTST credits, MTM losses, and expiry settlements work under SEBI rules
Profit Realization, Loss Penalties & Settlement Rules (`T+1`)
How profits, BTST credits, MTM losses, and expiry settlements work under SEBI rules
Profit & Credit Settlement Rules
- 1. The `T+1` Realized Profit Rule: When you book an Intraday (`MIS`) or F&O profit today (`Day T`), your original principal margin unlocks immediately for new trades, but 100% of the realized profit is locked until `T+1` morning (for trading) and `T+1` evening (for bank withdrawal).
- 2. The Asymmetric Unrealized `MTM` Rule: Unrealized losses on open positions are deducted from your Available Margin immediately in real time, whereas unrealized floating profits add ₹0 to your Available Margin until closed and settled.
- 3. The `0%` BTST (`T1` Holding) Sell Credit Rule: If you buy a delivery stock on Day 1 (`T`) and sell it on Day 2 (`T+1` / BTST), NSE/SEBI rules mandate that 0% of the sale proceeds are available for trading on Day 2 (because Early Pay-In cannot be run on unsettled `T1` shares). Funds unlock on Day 3.
- 4. The `80/20` Settled Delivery (`CNC`) Sell Rule: Selling settled Demat shares gives 80% instant credit (and 100% credit once CDSL Early Pay-In [`EPI`] completes via DDPI).
- 5. The `ITM` Option Expiry `0.125%` Exercise STT Rule: Never let a slightly In-The-Money (`ITM`) long option auto-expire at 3:30 PM—auto-exercise charges `0.125%` STT on Intrinsic Value plus Exercise Brokerage. Always square off manually before 3:25 PM!
Loss, Margin & Physical Delivery Rules
- 1. Stock F&O Physical Settlement Trap: Unlike Index Options (cash-settled), all Individual Stock Futures & Options are Physically Settled. Holding an ITM Stock Option at 3:30 PM on Expiry Day forces mandatory ₹5L–₹10L physical stock delivery or a catastrophic 20%+ Short-Delivery Auction fine.
- 2. The `50:50` Cash-Collateral F&O Rule: Overnight F&O margins require at least 50% Cash / Cash-Equivalents (`LIQUIDCASE`, `LIQUIDBEES`, G-Secs) and max 50% pledged equity collateral. Any cash deficit below 50% incurs Delayed Payment Charges (`DPC`) of `0.035%/day + 18% GST` (`0.05%/day` or `18.25% p.a.` on negative cash balances).
- 3. Multi-Leg Spread Exit Rule (Peak Margin): Always enter spreads Buy Leg First → Sell Leg Second, and exit Close Short Leg First → Close Long Leg Second. Closing the protective bought option first spikes margin 4x and triggers a 0.5% to 5% Peak Margin Shortfall Penalty.
- 4. `MTF` (`0.04%/day`) & `80%` Loss Liquidation Rule: Broker Margin Trading Facility (`MTF`) charges `0.04%/day` (`14.6% p.a.`) interest and automatically liquidates your position if losses reach 80% of the broker-funded amount.
- 5. SEBI Quarterly Running Account Payout: Once every 90 days (or 30 days), brokers must sweep unutilized free cash back to your Primary Bank Account. Park idle margin in `LIQUIDCASE` or use Secondary Market `UPI Block (ASBA)` to avoid quarterly sweep disruptions.
04
FIFO Accounting, BSDA AMC & Income Tax (`ITR-3`) Loss Set-Off Rules
How CDSL and the Income Tax Department classify your trades
FIFO Accounting, BSDA AMC & Income Tax (`ITR-3`) Loss Set-Off Rules
How CDSL and the Income Tax Department classify your trades
Strict `FIFO` Demat Rule
When selling `CNC` delivery shares, CDSL always sells your oldest purchase tranche first (`First-In, First-Out`). Note: Intraday (`MIS`) trades and same-day `CNC` buy+sell round-trips are netted intraday and never touch your long-term Demat FIFO queue. Therefore, for tax harvesting, never sell and re-buy `CNC` on the same day—always sell on Day `T` and buy back on Day `T+1`.
`BSDA` Single-Demat AMC Rule
Under SEBI Basic Services Demat Account (`BSDA`) rules, holdings up to ₹4 Lakhs pay ₹0 AMC (₹4L–₹10L pays ₹100+GST/yr), only if you hold a single Demat account across your PAN. Opening a second Demat account on another app disqualifies BSDA and triggers ₹300+GST/yr (`₹88.50/quarter`) AMC.
`₹10 Crore` Section 44AB Audit Rule
F&O Tax Turnover is calculated via the ICAI formula (Sum of Absolute Profits + Absolute Losses, not notional contract value). Because 100% of broker trades are digital, a Section 44AB CA Tax Audit is only mandatory above ₹10 Crore turnover (unless triggered by opting out of Section 44AD). File `ITR-3` before July 31st to carry forward losses.
| Trading Segment | Income Tax Classification | Same-Year Loss Set-Off Allowed Against | Carry-Forward Horizon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Intraday (`MIS`) | Speculative Business Income (Sec 73) | ONLY Speculative Intraday Profit (Cannot offset F&O, Capital Gains, Salary, or Rent) | 4 Assessment Years |
| Futures & Options (`F&O`) | Non-Speculative Business Income (Sec 72) | Any Business Profit (incl. MIS), House Property, Capital Gains (`STCG/LTCG`), & Other Sources (Cannot offset Salary) | 8 Assessment Years |
| Short-Term Delivery (`< 12M`) | Short-Term Capital Gain/Loss (`STCG` 20%) | Both `STCG` and `LTCG` (Cannot offset Business/Salary income) | 8 Assessment Years |
| Long-Term Delivery (`> 12M`) | Long-Term Capital Gain/Loss (`LTCG` 12.5% > ₹1.25L) | ONLY `LTCG` (Cannot offset `STCG` or Business/Salary income) | 8 Assessment Years |
Master Frequently Asked Questions
30+ direct answers on pricing tiers, non-custodial security, and broker synchronization.
Next Guide →How-To Setup & Operational Playbooks
Step-by-step instructions to connect your broker, configure your Safe Vault, and run paper trades.
Trust & Legal →Capital Safety & SEBI Compliance
Non-custodial architecture, SEBI Non-Advisory Safe Harbor, and Power Trader SLA terms.