HNI in an IPO means High Net-worth Individual. In simple terms, it is the category for investors who apply for shares worth more than ₹2 lakh , and it falls under the broader NII category.

Quick meaning

  • HNI = High Net-worth Individual.
  • It is used when someone applies for an IPO above the retail limit of ₹2 lakh.
  • HNIs are part of the Non-Institutional Investor (NII) bucket, which also includes other large applicants such as trusts, companies, and NRIs.

Why it matters

  • HNI applications usually get proportionate allotment , not lottery-based allotment like retail applications.
  • Larger applications can improve the chance of getting more shares, depending on demand.
  • In many guides, HNI is further split into sNII for ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh and bNII for above ₹10 lakh.

Simple example

If an IPO share costs ₹500, a retail investor can apply up to ₹2 lakh, while an HNI would apply for more than that, such as ₹2,00,500 or higher.

In one line

HNI in IPO = a high-value investor category for applications above ₹2 lakh.

Would you like a simple comparison of Retail vs HNI vs QIB in IPOs?