SEBI-Regulated Wealth Firm Backs Bitcoin Allocation via US ETFs – Institutional Adoption Accelerates
India's regulated wealth management sector just made a power move. A major SEBI-regulated firm is now facilitating client exposure to Bitcoin—not through local channels, but by tapping into US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs.
The Regulatory Workaround
With India's domestic regulatory stance on crypto remaining cautious, the firm's strategy is a masterclass in financial pragmatism. It bypasses local uncertainty by leveraging established, US-regulated investment vehicles. This isn't a fringe bet; it's a structured allocation for sophisticated portfolios seeking digital asset exposure.
Institutional Doors Swing Open
The move signals a critical shift. It provides a compliant bridge for high-net-worth individuals and institutions who have been watching crypto from the sidelines. The message is clear: professional capital is no longer waiting for perfect local frameworks—it's finding a way in now. After all, why let a little thing like regulatory ambiguity get in the way of a potential hedge against monetary debasement?
This isn't just about accessing Bitcoin. It's a landmark moment for legitimacy, proving that even within conservative regulatory guardrails, demand finds a path. The old guard of finance is slowly realizing that if you can't beat the trend, you might as well help clients invest in it—for a fee, of course.
The MD of Hedge Equities Publicly Recommends Allocation of Bitcoin.
In a recent video interview published by Zakhil Suresh (BitSaveClub), the Managing Director of Hedge Equities Ltd specifically advises their clients to allocate their BTC. As one of the oldest and traditional Indian wealth managers listed on the Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI), the firm is one of the earliest to publicly recognize crypto as a potential investment.
Source: CryptoIndia X
The MD pointed to two main benefits of BTC being reached via regulated US spot BTC ETFs, particularly those managed by large asset managers such as BlackRock:
Better security than self-custody wallets.
Increased transparency and regulation were appropriate for SEBI-compliant client portfolios.
Although the recommendation is a significant professional approval, Hedge Equities does not promote any official policy connected with crypto on its official site yet. The recommendation seems to be specific to the interview and not an institutional directive.
Traditional Conservative Indian Market Experiences Institutional Interest Surges.
The statement of Hedge Equities that will be received in 2025 is important since Indian wealth management has not been exposed to crypto directly in general, since:
The 30% tax on crypto gains
Lack of regulatory clarity
Custody and security issues.
Indian investors can now access bitcoin through the RBI Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) that allows up to $250,000 annually per person to invest in the US by exposing their funds to an ETF; this allows them to invest without the punitive 30% domestic tax levied on Bitcoin transactions.
Analysts believe that such endorsement can coerce Indian policy-makers to rethink high taxation, particularly with regulated channels gaining momentum.
The trends in the world are reinforcing the argument for Bitcoin adoption.
The position of firm is highly consistent with the results of the PwC Global Crypto Hedge Fund Report, 2025, which showed:
The % of crypto held by global hedge funds has risen to 55%, compared to 47% in 2024.
Increasing usage due to more definite regulations and mainstream financial products, such as spot ETFs.
This development reinforces the story that BTC is becoming not a speculative asset but an institutional investment tool, especially as it passed the $100,000 mark in 2025, drawing fresh interest among wealth managers around the world.
A Retail Investor: Potential Milestone in India.
Experts in the industry think that the endorsement would:
Get more SEBI-registered advisors to look at BTC exposure.
Authorize crypto among retail and HNI groups in India.
Increase the pace of formal entry of regulated investment products in the country.
With the same kind of advisors taking the same steps, Bitcoin can soon be more widely accepted in the Indian traditional portfolios, which will close the gap between the retail investors and the globally compliant cryptocurrency assets.
Conclusion
This reflects global trends and potentially encourages regulatory reconsideration as BTC becomes increasingly accepted through safe, compliant investment avenues.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
