Big update: India plans to overhaul its securities market laws
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman just introduced the Securities Markets Code (SMC) Bill, 2025 in Parliament.
This bill aims to combine three major financial laws into one, making things simpler and clearer for everyone involved in the markets.
Right now, it's being reviewed by a Parliamentary committee.
Why should you care?
If you're interested in investing or startups, this bill could shape how India's markets work for years.
It plans to expand SEBI's board for better governance, make rule-making more transparent, and speed up investigations.
The SMC Bill also decriminalizes minor slip-ups (so fewer harsh penalties for small mistakes), introduces an Investor Charter and Ombudsperson for faster help with complaints, and sets up a Regulatory Sandbox—making it easier to test new ideas in finance.
Basically, it's about making investing safer and more accessible while encouraging innovation.