How to buy OpenAI and Anthropic stocks from India: A complete guide

Synopsis: A Wall Street fund just gave Indian retail investors the closest thing to owning shares in the world’s two most talked-about AI companies Antropic & Open Ai. Here is everything you need to know.

Every week, thousands of Indian investors search for the same thing how to buy OpenAI. They type it into Google, ask friends, scroll through Reddit threads. They get the same answer every time. You cannot. OpenAI is private. Anthropic is private. There is no stock to buy. Until now, that answer was completely true.

However, something changed in mid-March 2026. A fund called the Fundrise Innovation Fund listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol VCX. It holds stakes in OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX, and nearly 28 other high-growth private companies. Moreover, Indians can buy it today right from their phone through an app called IndMoney.

The fund’s debut sent shockwaves through markets. Its shares surged over 1,300% above their net asset value. Trading halted multiple times due to extreme volatility. On one single day, shares jumped 39% to reach $265 each. Investors clearly want in. The question for Indian buyers is simple should you? This article explains exactly what VCX is, how you can buy it from India, what it costs, and what risks you must understand before putting a single rupee into it.

What Exactly Is This Fund And Why Are People Going Wild Over It?

Fundrise launched VCX nearly five years ago as a private vehicle. It invested quietly in Silicon Valley’s most valuable private companies. Then, around March 19, 2026, it took the fund public on the New York Stock Exchange. Suddenly, anyone with a brokerage account could own a piece of the same portfolio that venture capitalists spent years chasing.

The fund holds Anthropic as its largest position at 20.7%. Anthropic builds Claude the AI assistant you are probably familiar with. It competes directly with OpenAI on safety-first AI development and large language models. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, sits at 9.9% of the fund. Together, these two AI giants make up nearly a third of the entire portfolio.

Beyond AI, VCX also holds Databricks, the enterprise data platform giant, at 17.7%. It holds Anduril Industries an AI-powered defense company at 6.9%. SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company, makes up 5% of the fund. Furthermore, the portfolio includes Ramp, Canva, Epic Games, Stripe, and over a dozen other private startups.

The fund uses what it calls a multi-stage strategy. It buys into companies early, holds them through growth, and continues holding even after they go public. Its heaviest focus is artificial intelligence and machine learning, which represents 43.8% of its total portfolio. Data infrastructure makes up most of the rest. “VCX gives Indian retail investors the closest thing to owning OpenAI and Anthropic without needing to be a venture capitalist.”

So why did the stock surge over 1,300% above its net asset value? Simple demand for AI investments far outpaced the limited number of VCX shares available to trade. Most of the fund’s shares remain locked up for six months after the listing. Investors who bought before February 20, 2026, cannot sell yet. As a result, the tiny tradable float exploded in price. Consequently, you are paying a massive premium to own what the fund actually holds.

How Indians Can Actually Buy VCX Right Now

You cannot buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares directly. Both companies are private. US securities law restricts retail investors from purchasing pre-IPO shares. However, since VCX trades on the NYSE as a public fund, any Indian investor can buy it through a platform that offers US stock trading.

IndMoney, one of India’s most popular US stock platforms, lists VCX and supports fractional shares starting at roughly $1 about ₹94 at current rates. Here is the step-by-step process to buy it.

Step-by-Step: How to Buy VCX From India via IndMoney

1. Download IndMoney Get the app on iOS or Android. Sign up with your mobile number or email. Complete KYC digitally using your PAN, Aadhaar, bank proof, and a selfie.

2. Open a US Stocks Account Inside the app, go to “US Stocks” or “Global Investments.” Open a free dedicated US stocks account. This creates a linked USD wallet for you.

3. Fund Your Account via LRS Transfer INR from your Indian bank to your IndMoney US stocks wallet. IndMoney handles the LRS process automatically. Select the purpose code for equity investment. Your bank may ask for Form A2. Processing takes 1–3 business days. Under RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme, you can send up to USD 250,000 per financial year.

4. Search and Buy VCX In the US Stocks section, search for “Fundrise Innovation Fund” or ticker VCX. Hit Buy. Enter the amount in USD or INR. Fractional shares are allowed even $10 buys a slice of the fund. Trades execute during NYSE hours: 7:30 PM to 2:00 AM IST.

5. Monitor and Sell Anytime Your VCX holding appears in your IndMoney US stocks portfolio. Sell during market hours. Proceeds go back to your USD wallet. Convert to INR whenever you wish.

The minimum investment is effectively about ₹94 the cost of a single fractional share worth $1. You do not need to be an accredited investor. You do not need offshore bank accounts or complex legal structures. Additionally, IndMoney is registered with SEBI, so the platform operates within India’s legal framework.

The fund charges a management fee of 1.85% per year, deducted from its assets. IndMoney charges low or zero brokerage on US trades in most cases, though a small currency conversion spread applies. TCS (Tax Collected at Source) applies on LRS remittances the rate varies between 0% and 20% depending on the amount. Importantly, you can claim TCS credit when you file your income tax return.

What Will the Taxman Want From Your VCX Gains?

Taxation is straightforward for Indian residents, but you must report it correctly. India and the US share a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). Therefore, you pay tax only in India on your VCX gains.

You must file ITR-2 or ITR-3. Report foreign assets in Schedule FA. Report capital gains in Schedule CG and any dividends in Schedule OS. Convert all USD amounts to INR using the SBI TT buying rate on the date of each transaction. IndMoney provides ready-made tax reports inside the app find them under Wallet Balance or your Profile section.

If you remit large amounts or have complex income, consult a chartered accountant. The rules around TCS and foreign asset reporting can trip up first-time investors.

The Serious Risks Every Indian Investor Must Read Before Buying

The fund’s 1,300% premium to NAV is the single biggest red flag here. When you buy VCX today, you pay not just for the underlying assets you pay for the crowd’s excitement about those assets. If market sentiment shifts, that premium can collapse fast. The fund’s underlying holdings in OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX do not change. However, the price you pay for them can drop sharply.

Key Risks to Understand Before You Invest

Extreme premium to NAV: VCX recently traded over 1,300% above its net asset value. You are paying a steep markup. If the premium collapses, your investment can fall hard even if the underlying companies perform well.

High volatility: 85% of the fund’s holdings are in private, illiquid tech companies. One bad quarter across the AI sector can cause large swings in the fund’s price.

Liquidity and valuation risk: Private stakes in companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are difficult to value and impossible to sell quickly. The fund itself trades on NYSE, but the assets underneath it do not.

Currency risk: USD-to-INR fluctuations directly affect your returns. A stronger rupee shrinks your gains in rupee terms.

Closed-end fund structure: Unlike mutual funds, you cannot redeem VCX shares at NAV. You can only sell on the open market at whatever price buyers offer that day.

No guarantee of returns: This fund is speculative. You could lose your entire investment. Past performance does not predict future results.

Furthermore, the lockup period adds another layer of concern. Roughly 100,000 early investors in the fund cannot sell their shares until six months after the March 2026 listing. When that lockup lifts, they may sell in large volumes. That selling pressure could push the price down significantly for anyone who bought during the frenzy.

In short, VCX is not a safe or conservative investment. It is a high-risk, high-reward bet on AI’s future packaged in a structure that ordinary Indians can now access for the first time. Nevertheless, the risks are real and deserve serious attention before you commit money.

If you decide to explore it, start with a small amount you can afford to lose entirely. Download IndMoney, open the US stocks account, and check the live VCX price and NAV before making any decision. The app has in-app chat support for any questions about the LRS process or your account setup.

The door to OpenAI and Anthropic is open for Indian investors perhaps for the first time ever. Whether walking through it makes sense depends entirely on how much risk you can stomach.

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