If you are looking for a reliable online platform to start investing or trading in the Indian stock market, Zerodha is one of the well-known choices available to investors. The platform provides access to stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, IPOs, futures, options, commodities, and other investment products.

The Zerodha Referral Code “ZQF906” can be used as part of the referral process when opening a new Zerodha account. New resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026 are eligible for zero Account Maintenance Charges (AMC) for the first year. Zerodha also currently offers free account opening for individual accounts.

This makes the current Zerodha account-opening offer particularly relevant for first-time investors who want to start investing without paying an account-opening fee or first-year AMC.

In this guide, we explain the Zerodha referral code ZQF906, account-opening charges, first-year AMC waiver, how to open an account, Zerodha's trading charges, and important points to know before getting started.

The code ZQF906 is the referral code provided for this offer. Zerodha's current official policy states that all new resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026 have no AMC during the first year.

Zerodha is an Indian online brokerage platform that provides tools for investing and trading in financial markets.

Through Zerodha, users can invest in or trade products including:

Zerodha provides Kite as its primary trading platform, while Coin is used for direct mutual fund investments. The company also provides additional tools and services for investors and traders.

The platform currently advertises zero brokerage for equity delivery and direct mutual fund investments, while intraday and F&O trades are charged according to its applicable brokerage schedule.

ZQF906 is the referral code provided for this Zerodha account-opening offer.

A referral code is generally used to connect a new customer with Zerodha's referral program. Zerodha's current referral program allows existing customers to refer friends and family and earn rewards when eligible referred accounts are opened and start trading.

For the person opening the account, the major current benefit is that eligible new resident individual accounts receive zero AMC for the first year.

Therefore, rather than describing ZQF906 as creating a separate first-year AMC waiver, it is more accurate to say that eligible new Zerodha accounts currently receive the first-year AMC waiver under Zerodha's account-opening policy.

If you are opening your first Zerodha account, you can follow these general steps.

Go to the official Zerodha website and start the account-opening process.

Enter your mobile number and the other information requested during registration.

Use the referral link or applicable referral process associated with:

ZQF906

Make sure the code or referral link is correctly associated with your application before proceeding.

Zerodha requires customers to complete the necessary identity verification.

For resident individual account opening, Zerodha states that you generally need a PAN, Aadhaar linked to your mobile number, and bank account details. Income proof is required if you want to activate F&O trading.

Follow the online e-sign and verification process.

Once the account-opening process is completed, you can receive your Kite login credentials and access your Zerodha account.

Yes. Zerodha's current charges page lists ₹0 account-opening charges for individual accounts. Minor accounts are also listed as free, while different charges can apply to NRI and certain non-individual account types.

This means eligible individual customers can open a Zerodha trading and demat account without paying an account-opening fee.

However, free account opening does not mean that every trading or transaction-related charge is zero.

Brokerage, exchange charges, taxes, DP charges, and other applicable costs can still apply depending on the transaction.

One of the most important current benefits is the first-year AMC waiver.

Zerodha states that AMC is free for the first year for all resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026.

AMC means Account Maintenance Charge, which is the fee charged for maintaining a demat account.

The first-year waiver applies to the primary demat account.

After the first year, the applicable AMC depends on factors such as account type and whether the account qualifies for BSDA treatment.

For example, Zerodha currently states that eligible BSDA accounts with holdings up to ₹4 lakh can have zero AMC, while other slabs can attract applicable charges.

Although opening an account and first-year AMC may be free for eligible customers, trading is not completely free in every segment.

Zerodha currently advertises:

The exact charges should always be checked on Zerodha's latest brokerage and charges pages before placing trades.

Kite is Zerodha's primary trading platform.

It provides access to market data, charts, orders, portfolios, watchlists, and other tools required for investing and trading.

Investors can use Kite through supported web and mobile interfaces.

The platform is designed to provide a relatively straightforward interface for both new investors and experienced market participants.

Zerodha also operates Coin, its platform for investing in direct mutual funds.

Direct mutual funds generally do not include distributor commissions in the same way regular mutual fund plans do, although investors should understand the specific fund expenses and other applicable costs.

Coin can be useful for investors who want to manage mutual fund investments alongside their Zerodha trading account.

The referral code may be useful for:

Eligibility for referral benefits depends on Zerodha's current referral terms.

The first-year AMC waiver specifically applies to new resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026.

Eligible individual accounts currently have no account-opening fee.

New resident individual accounts opened from June 1, 2026 receive a first-year AMC waiver.

Zerodha currently offers ₹0 brokerage for equity delivery transactions.

Investors can use Coin to invest in direct mutual funds.

Zerodha provides access to stocks and ETFs through its trading platform.

Eligible users can activate derivatives and commodity segments subject to the required eligibility and documentation.

The ₹0 first-year AMC benefit relates to maintaining the demat account. It does not mean every transaction is free.

Intraday and F&O trades can attract brokerage and other applicable charges.

STT, GST, exchange transaction charges, SEBI charges, stamp duty, and other applicable costs may apply depending on the transaction.

Zerodha states that income proof is required for activating F&O trading.

Zerodha states that a referral can be valid for 60 days and that referral mapping may fail if a prospect registers independently before completing the account-opening process through the referral link.

Therefore, if you are specifically using a referral, follow the referral process before completing registration.

The referral code provided for this offer is ZQF906.

Yes. Zerodha currently lists free account opening for individual accounts.

Yes. Zerodha states that new resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026 have zero AMC for the first year.

No. The waiver applies to the first year. Applicable AMC charges can apply afterward depending on the account type and BSDA eligibility.

It depends on the segment. Equity delivery and direct mutual funds currently have ₹0 brokerage, while intraday and F&O trades can attract brokerage according to Zerodha's pricing schedule.

Zerodha generally requires PAN, Aadhaar linked to your mobile number, and bank-account details for resident individual online account opening. F&O activation requires income proof.

Referral benefits are designed around eligible new accounts. Existing customers should not assume that a referral code can be retroactively applied to an already opened account.

The Zerodha Referral Code “ZQF906” can be used as part of the Zerodha referral/account-opening process for eligible new customers. The most significant current account-opening benefit is that new resident individual accounts opened on or after June 1, 2026 receive zero AMC for the first year. Zerodha also currently offers free account opening for individual accounts.

Zerodha provides access to stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, IPOs, bonds, futures, options, commodities, and other investment products. Its Kite platform provides the core trading experience, while Coin is designed for direct mutual fund investing.

If you want to use ZQF906, make sure the referral is correctly associated with your application before completing registration. After opening the account, complete the required KYC process and review the applicable brokerage, AMC, statutory charges, and segment-specific fees.

The first-year AMC waiver can make Zerodha more accessible to new investors because there is no account maintenance charge during the first year for eligible resident individual accounts. However, investors should remember that market investments carry risk and that trading-related costs can still apply.

Always review Zerodha's latest official pricing, referral conditions, and account-opening requirements before proceeding, as promotional and fee policies can change over time.