Paytm Now Fully Indian-Owned After Ant Financial Exit

DOWNLOAD IPFS

Paytm, India’s leading fintech company, is now entirely Indian-owned following the complete exit of Chinese investor Ant Financial. The Alibaba-backed firm offloaded its remaining 5.84 percent stake in Paytm’s parent company, One97 Communications, through a block deal worth approximately ₹3,800 crore.

The transaction was carried out at a floor price of ₹1,020 per share, coordinated by Goldman Sachs India Securities and Citigroup Global Markets India. Following the sale, Paytm shares saw a marginal decline of around 1.4 to 2.4 percent on major stock exchanges.

With Ant Financial’s exit, all foreign investors, including SoftBank, Alibaba, and Berkshire Hathaway, have now divested their holdings in Paytm. Elevation Capital, formerly SAIF Partners, remains the sole significant pre-IPO investor, holding a 15.4 percent stake.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s long-standing ambition to keep the company wholly Indian-owned has now materialized. In a 2015 statement, Sharma had compared Paytm’s vision to iconic Indian brands like Tata and Maruti, underlining its domestic roots.

The development follows Paytm’s first-ever profitable quarter in Q1 FY26. The company reported a net profit of ₹123 crore, a strong turnaround from a loss during the same period last year. Revenue grew 28 percent year-on-year to ₹1,918 crore, while contribution profits surged 52 percent due to growth in its merchant and financial services offerings.

Analysts see the change in shareholding as a significant regulatory and reputational advantage for the company. With no Chinese ownership, Paytm is better positioned to align with India’s evolving digital policy framework and national sentiment. The development is also expected to boost investor confidence, especially as Paytm awaits final approval for its payment aggregator license.

This move is likely to open doors for new partnerships and further domestic investment, as Paytm continues to expand its digital ecosystem across India and global markets.