Sathe is a Pune-based former software engineer who turned into a full-time trader and trainer. He once worked at Hexaware Technologies and later lived in Singapore, Australia and the US. His interest in stock markets grew during his time abroad. After facing trading losses, he said he changed his approach and eventually quit IT in 2007 to follow trading full-time.
How His Academy Became Big
In 2008, Sathe started his first seminar with only 12 people. Over time, his Avadhut Sathe Trading Academy expanded across India. His courses lasted four months, cost around Rs 18,000, and included technical analysis, live-market sessions and mentorship.
He became extremely popular because of his motivational speaking, emotional style and strong connection with small-town investors. His YouTube following crossed one million, making him one of India’s most recognised finfluencers.What Sebi Found in Its Investigation
Sebi investigated his activities from 2017 to 2025 and found that Sathe and his academy collected Rs 601 crore from more than 3.37 lakh people. The regulator said the academy used live market data, gave buy-sell calls, and promoted “high returns” while hiding losses.
Sebi said the training programmes were actually unregistered investment advisory services disguised as education. The regulator also said participants were encouraged to trade in specific stocks based on recommendations sold for a fee.
The Big Penalty and Market Ban
Sebi ordered Sathe and his company to jointly return Rs 546.16 crore made as unlawful gains. They have also been banned from the securities market and stopped from giving any advisory or research services.They cannot use live market data or advertise their profits or students’ profits. Sebi said such steps were necessary to protect investors from being misled.
A Wake-Up Call for Finfluencers and Investors
This case is one of the strongest actions against a finfluencer in India. It warns that social-media trainers cannot offer investment advice without registration. For investors, it is a reminder to be careful, as “stock market courses” may sometimes hide risky and illegal advisory practices.### Who is Avadhut Sathe?
Avadhut Sathe is a prominent Indian finfluencer (financial influencer) and stock market trainer based in Pune, Maharashtra. Born and raised in a modest chawl in Dadar, central Mumbai, he later moved to Mulund with his family. Sathe holds a B.E. in Electronics from the University of Mumbai and a postgraduate diploma in Software Engineering (APGDST) from the National Centre for Software Technology (NCST), completed in 1993. He began his professional career in the IT sector as a software engineer, working for companies like Hexaware Technologies. During stints living and working in Singapore, Australia, and the US, he developed a keen interest in stock markets, starting to trade as early as 1991. However, early trading experiences resulted in significant losses, prompting him to refine his strategies.
In 2007, Sathe quit his IT job to become a full-time trader and educator. He launched his first stock market training seminar in 2008 with just 12 participants. Over the years, he founded the Avadhut Sathe Trading Academy (ASTA), which grew rapidly across India, offering four-month courses priced at around ₹18,000. These programs focused on technical analysis, live market sessions, mentorship, and risk management, targeting retail investors, particularly from small towns. Sathe's rise to fame came through his motivational speaking style—often emotional and relatable—combined with a strong online presence. His YouTube channel boasts over 1 million subscribers, where he shares trading insights, success stories, and lifestyle content, positioning himself as a "market guru" who turned personal setbacks into triumphs. By blending education with inspiration, he built a massive following of over 3.37 lakh students, amassing significant revenue from course fees.
### The SEBI Controversy: ₹601 Crore Collected and ₹546 Crore Recovery Order
Sathe's empire has now come under intense scrutiny following a landmark Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) order issued on December 4, 2025, which has thrust him into one of the biggest controversies in India's finfluencer space. SEBI's investigation, spanning 2017 to 2025, revealed that Sathe and ASTA allegedly collected ₹601 crore in fees from more than 3.37 lakh investors through what was marketed as "trading education." However, regulators determined these programs were essentially unregistered investment advisory services in disguise.
#### Key Allegations
- **Unregistered Advisory Masquerading as Education**: Despite claiming to offer only skill-building training, ASTA provided live market data analysis, buy-sell recommendations on specific stocks, and promoted "extraordinary returns" while concealing losses or risks. Participants were encouraged to execute trades based on these fee-based tips, crossing into regulated advisory territory without SEBI registration.
- **Misleading Claims and Selective Success Stories**: Sathe showcased fabricated or cherry-picked profitable trades (e.g., via screenshots and testimonials) to lure enrollees, hiding his own net trading losses of ₹6.19 crore. This created a false narrative of consistent market mastery.
- **Lavish Lifestyle Promotion**: Content featuring rented luxury cars and opulent displays allegedly fueled the illusion of trading riches, preying on aspirational retail investors.
SEBI described this as a "systematic flouting" of regulations, violating the SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations, 2013. The probe, triggered by complaints and prior warnings (including a March 2024 advisory on misrepresentation), marked the largest action against a finfluencer to date.
#### SEBI's Orders
- **Impounding of Unlawful Gains**: Sathe and ASTA must disgorge (return) ₹546.16 crore—the prima facie unlawful profits—plus 10% annual interest from the date of collection. Funds are to be deposited in SEBI's recovery account within 15 days.
- **Market Ban**: Both are permanently barred from the securities market, including buying, selling, or dealing in securities for two years (extendable).
- **Prohibitions**: No further investment advice, research, or trading education; banned from using live market data in promotions; cannot advertise past/future profits or student testimonials.
This order underscores SEBI's ongoing crackdown on unregulated finfluencers, following similar actions against others like Anish Singh Thakur. It serves as a "wake-up call" for investors to verify credentials and avoid hype-driven schemes, especially amid rising retail participation in derivatives (where 91% of F&O traders lost money last year).
### Sathe's Response and Aftermath
ASTA issued a strong rebuttal, calling the order "erroneous" and asserting it operates as a "purely educational institution" focused on financial literacy, not stock tips or advisory services. They denied any unlawful gains, monetization of social media, or regulatory violations, blaming "ambiguity in rules" for the misclassification. The academy vowed to challenge the decision in appellate forums, expressing "full faith in the judicial process" and urging students not to panic.
Public reaction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) has been swift and critical, with users labeling it a "scam exposed" and calling for broader probes into trading gurus. Sathe's personal trading losses versus course revenues have become a meme-worthy punchline, highlighting the irony of profiting from "dream-selling" while failing in the markets.
In summary, Sathe's journey from IT engineer to finfluencer icon has unraveled amid allegations of regulatory evasion, potentially reshaping trust in online trading education. Investors are advised to stick to SEBI-registered advisors for genuine guidance.
