Starting from paper-heavy onboarding processes to near-instant account opening and real-time trading, the Indian broking industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades. As markets become more volatile, data-driven, and always on, technology is a defining factor of competitiveness.
In an exclusive interaction with Express Computer, Arpan Sen, Chief Technology Officer at Ventura, shares how the firm is strengthening its technology foundation around speed, resilience, and security while simplifying investing experiences for a new generation of users.
From paperwork to real-time trading: A shift driven by technology
Reflecting on how far the industry has come, Sen points to the stark contrast between earlier broking experiences and today’s digital-first reality.
“I remember I opened my DMAT account mostly on a whim… It had at that point in time taken me three visits to the broker with a myriad number of papers.”
Fast forward to today, the experience is radically different.
“Cut to 2026. It’s only a matter of minutes before I am able to actually, you know, open a broking account and start trading.”
This shift has raised the bar for technology expectations. What was once acceptable in terms of speed and service is no longer sufficient in a market where users expect instant access and uninterrupted performance.
Core priorities: Speed, resilience and security
At the heart of Ventura’s technology strategy are three non-negotiables: performance, platform resilience, and cybersecurity.
“Speed is supremely critical… it’s very important that our users can react to these changes, should they choose to, within a fraction of a second.”
Market volatility, especially in globally interconnected environments, demands that trading platforms respond in real time. Any latency can directly impact investor outcomes.
Equally important is system reliability. Today’s users expect financial platforms to match the uptime standards of consumer tech platforms.
“You don’t expect Instagram to go down… that’s the same tech expectations that now people have… including the broking firms.”
Ventura aims to maintain extremely high uptime standards while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements around disaster recovery and multi-location operations.
The third pillar is cybersecurity, which has become increasingly critical in the current global environment.
“The expectation that… we will be increasingly subjected to hostile attacks is something that is very ingrained in how things are,” he says.
To address this, Ventura follows a rigorous security-first approach. Every release undergoes security validation, and internal teams actively test systems through simulated attack scenarios.
“Nothing goes to the clients, which is deemed insecure,” adds Sen.
Building customer journeys around real user needs
While infrastructure forms the backbone, customer experience remains a central focus. Rather than designing features in isolation, Ventura builds its product roadmap based on continuous user feedback.
“We try not to build stuff in isolation… we have fairly open communication with our clients.”
Feature prioritisation is driven by real-world needs, gathered through direct customer interactions, support channels, and relationship managers across Ventura’s branch network.
“A lot of stuff that actually gets shipped is something that is directly coming from the client.”
This approach ensures that improvements across onboarding, trading, and portfolio management remain aligned with actual investor requirements rather than assumed use cases.
Cloud adoption with a hybrid architecture approach
Ventura’s cloud strategy reflects a balance between scalability and regulatory constraints. Customer-facing applications are largely cloud-based, enabling elasticity and the ability to handle sudden spikes in trading activity.
“To handle that scale and handle the burst mode, you really need the support of the hyperscalers.”
However, regulatory requirements mandate that core trading systems remain within local data centres, leading to a hybrid architecture model.
“Every broker is basically following a hybrid cloud architecture… we are no exception,” points out Sen.
While the cloud offers significant advantages in scalability and security, cost management remains a continuous discipline.
“The cloud… is like a candy store… If you start doing random stuff, there is going to be a surprise end-of-month billing.”
To address this, Ventura conducts regular cost reviews and maintains tight control over resource utilisation, supported by an in-house DevOps team managing both cloud and on-premise infrastructure.
Designing security-first trading platforms
In a regulated industry, trust is fundamental. Ventura approaches security as a built-in design principle rather than an add-on.
“The good thing about the data protection rules… is that they have very clear guidelines.”
The organisation conducts frequent audits, monitors access controls, and tracks all system activity to detect anomalies. External audits complement internal checks to ensure compliance with evolving regulations.
Systems are also designed to detect unusual behaviour, whether it is unauthorised access, abnormal data movement, or suspicious network activity.
“We know just by looking at the logs… what really happened… it’s kind of an immutable record,” he mentions.
Simplifying investing in a complex, data-rich environment
As fintech innovation introduces more data, tools, and features, Sen believes the real challenge is not access to information but avoiding overload. “Way too much information… generally results in non-action.”
Ventura’s approach focuses on simplifying decision-making rather than overwhelming users with data.
“What we are not trying to do is… throw hundreds of thousands of data points… at the user.”
Instead, the firm offers curated investment options and simplified tools, ensuring that users can act quickly without cognitive overload.
“The overall theme is to generally simplify things.”
Building high-performance engineering teams
Behind Ventura’s technology strategy is a lean but tightly integrated engineering team. Sen emphasises that trust and culture play a critical role in building high-performance teams.
“The first thing that you require is trust… if they know that you have their back, it gives them a definite amount of emotional safety.”
Ventura operates with a relatively small but focused team, supported by a hybrid work model and a culture of experimentation. Engineers are encouraged to build prototypes and explore new technologies beyond their day-to-day responsibilities.
“We routinely create prototypes… some get accepted and… make their way out as part of the product.”
AI as a productivity enabler, not a replacement
While AI is gaining traction across industries, Ventura views it primarily as a productivity tool rather than a replacement for human decision-making.
“There are distinct productivity and user level gains… that it’s not possible without it.”
One key use case is in research and analytics, where AI helps process large volumes of financial data and generate insights quickly.
“What will now probably take you maybe 30 minutes to an hour… earlier would take two or three days.”
However, the organisation maintains strict guardrails around AI-generated outputs.
“I cannot push untested AI-generated code into production… that’s asking for trouble.”
Preparing for the future: adaptability over certainty
Looking ahead, Sen believes that adaptability will define success in the broking industry. Technology cycles will continue to evolve, and firms must remain flexible in adopting new tools and paradigms. “If you are already thinking you can’t, then chances are quite likely that you won’t.”
He also highlights the importance of continuous experimentation and self-disruption. “If you don’t try to self-disrupt yourself… somebody else will come and certainly do that for you.”
One emerging area of focus is post-quantum cryptography, which could redefine security standards across financial services.“If you do not respond to the quantum threat… people will simply weaponise it against you,” he warns.
The road ahead
For Ventura Securities, the immediate priorities remain responding to customer needs, staying aligned with technological change, and delivering competitive capabilities in a rapidly evolving market.
“Acting on customer feedback is clearly the number one priority… ensuring that Ventura is abreast of all the technological changes.”
As broking continues to evolve into a real-time, data-driven ecosystem, organisations that can combine speed, simplicity, and security will be best positioned to stay ahead.