Definition
Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA)
An RTA is the agency that maintains shareholder records and processes corporate actions, IPO allotments, and dividends on behalf of companies.
RTAs like KFin Technologies and Computershare/Link Intime handle the back-office of share ownership: IPO allotments and refunds, dividend payments, bonus and split credits, and shareholder record updates, on behalf of listed companies and mutual funds.
When you check IPO allotment status, you do it on the RTA's website. They are SEBI-registered intermediaries linking companies, depositories, and investors, ensuring corporate actions reach the right shareholders accurately and on time.
Related terms
- IPOAn Initial Public Offering is the first sale of a company's shares to the public, after which the stock lists and trades on an exchange like the NSE or BSE.
- DepositoryA depository is an institution that holds your shares and securities in electronic (demat) form, much like a bank holds your money.
- Corporate ActionA corporate action is any event initiated by a company that affects its shares or shareholders, such as dividends, splits, bonuses, or mergers.
Plain-English explainer from The Dispatch Investors Encyclopedia. General information, not financial advice.