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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reduced the minimum investment threshold for individual investors in Social Impact Funds to Rs 1,000 from Rs 2 lakh through amendments to the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) regulations. The objective of this move by the market regulator is to increase the retail participation on the Social Stock Exchange. The revised threshold reportedly aligns with the minimum application size for zero coupon zero principal instruments under the ICDR regulations, thereby harmonising entry requirements across SSE-linked instruments. In addition, the regulator has introduced a framework permitting AIFs that do not retain any funds post expiry of their fund life to be classified as inoperative funds,' subject to prescribed conditions, with corresponding relaxation in compliance requirements. Separately, changes to the Social Stock Exchange ecosystem include extension of registration validity for not-for-profit organisations to three years without mandatory fundraising and reduction in the minimum subscription requirement for zero coupon zero principal instruments to 50% from 75%, applicable to eligible projects.
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