FAQ

Alternative Investment Fund or AIF means any fund established or incorporated in India, which is a privately pooled investment vehicle, which collects funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign, for investing it in accordance with a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors.

Unifi Capital Private Limited (Unifi) is one of India’s leading Portfolio Management Services (PMS) and AIF with a twenty-year performance track record and assets under management (AUM) of over Rs 10,900 Crs (as of 28th Feb 2022).

Applicants can seek registration as an AIF in one of the following categories, and in sub-categories thereof, as may be applicable:

Category I AIF:

AIFs which invest in

• Venture capital funds (Including Angel Funds)
• SME Funds
• Social Venture Funds
• Infrastructure funds

which the government or regulators consider as socially or economically desirable.

Category II AIF:

Various types of funds such as real estate funds, private equity funds (PE funds), funds for distressed assets, etc., are registered as Category II AIFs.

Category III AIF:

AIFs can pursue multi-asset class strategies and have the flexibility to employ diverse investing / trading strategies in accordance with their stated investment policy in their offer documents. Such AIFs may undertake leverage that includes positions in listed or unlisted derivatives within limits prescribed by SEBI regulations.

Unifi currently manages a few focused Category III AIFs with underlying investments in listed Equity and listed / unlisted Debt. While the equity AIFs target long term capital appreciation, the debt AIF, which also participates in event arbitrage opportunities, strives to generate stable above average consistent returns with low volatility.

AIF management services can be offered only by SEBI registered entity under SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.

The specialised investment solutions provided by Alternate Investment Funds typically cater to a niche segment of Ultra-high net worth clients. These clients can be individuals or Institutional entities who require a dedicated investment management service.

The AIF platform is ideal for investors who:

• Seek to invest in asset classes like equity, fixed income, structured products, etc.
• Value a highly customised investment management solution
• Are discerning and appreciate a high level of client service
• Require investment advice for long-term wealth creation

The statutory minimum investment size is INR 1Cr. Additional investments can be made on any dealing date notified in the offer document in multiples of Rs.10,000 or the amount specified for open-ended funds.

At Unifi, there is no maximum investment limit into an AIF. The size of the fund and subscriptions received (in the case of a closed-ended fund) will decide on the maximum amount of investment. We cater to clients of varying portfolio sizes, and our Relationship Managers are equipped to manage individual accounts of a sizeable asset under management (AUM).

Though AIF and PMS appear to be similar investment vehicles at a glance, there are differences and features in both which would be suitable for a customer based on their requirements.

As per the AIF regulations prescribed by SEBI, we cannot guarantee a specific rate of return. However, the investment objective of any AIF Manager is to outperform the benchmark indices.

At Unifi, each investment strategy has consistently outperformed respective benchmark indices over the years.

Our funds are open-ended Funds with or without an initial lock-in period, with periodic intervals for subscriptions and redemptions.

The NAV is calculated monthly by the fund accounting team of HDFC bank. The Fund Management team also shares the Fund’s asset allocation, return attribution, top holdings and liquidity information fact sheet on a monthly basis followed by a more detailed quarterly review with the unitholders. The Annual Report is sent to the unitholders typically within 3 months from the end of the financial year.

Unifi AIF funds are structured as determinant trusts. The tax is paid at the fund level and returns to the client are post-tax basis. Profits in the AIF are taxed at applicable capital gains tax rates as regards equity and market-linked instruments and at Maximum Marginal Rates for income from other sources like interest, dividends, processing fees etc.

The initial corpus into Unifi’s AIF scheme can be funded in the form of cash transferred to the AIF’s account.

The documents required to enable your AIF account at Unifi are:

• Account Opening Form
• Address Proof
• Identity Proof
• PAN Card Copy
• Relevant KYC Forms prescribed by the regulator

In addition to a one-time setup fee (if applicable), UNIFI’S AIF compensation is based on two heads:

• A flat management fee as agreed by the client will be charged proportionately every month on the funds managed, and
• A performance-based fee computed as per a pre-agreed proportion of the profit earned over and above a predetermined threshold return.

The AIF platform permits investments by all Indian nationals, resident or otherwise. NRI’s (except USA and Canadian Nationals) can also invest in AIF. Unlike PMS, there is no need for NRI’s to open a PIS account. However, it depends on the fund structure to accept funds from both NRE and NRO accounts.

• If a client has been introduced by a wealth manager or RIA, he would typically call his RM in the introducing firm and reach out to Unifi as a second step if he requires further assistance.
• Unifi provides its clients unrestricted and continuous access to its Relationship Managers who interact with clients on a regular basis for day-to-day requirements.
• However, in case of any specific requirements that arise, contact details of senior management at Unifi, including the Chief Investment Officer, are made available in the welcome letter sent to clients.