Transfer Agent

A Transfer Agent is a SEBI-registered entity responsible for maintaining the ownership records of securities—tracking who owns shares or mutual fund units—and facilitating the transfer of ownership when transactions occur. They process investor applications, record changes in shareholding, issue account statements, handle dividend payouts, and manage corporate actions like rights issues and bonus shares. In the Indian mutual fund industry, Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs) such as CAMS and KFin Technologies (formerly Karvy) serve as the backbone of investor servicing, maintaining records for millions of folios across multiple AMCs.