MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SoftBank Pays $1.4b for 20% Equity Stake in Paytm, Provider of Digital Payment Services in India

Paytm, an Indian electronic payment and e-commerce company with 220 million users, recently raised INR 90 billion (USD 1.4 billion) in equity by selling nearly 20 percent of its shares to SoftBank Group, a Japanese conglomerate operating in the technology and energy sectors. The investment is part of a strategy for Paytm to double its customer base over the next three to five years. Paytm, whose name is an acronym for “Pay Through Mobile,” recently received final licensure from Reserve Bank of India to launch Paytm Payments Bank, an online banking service offering customers a zero minimum balance requirement, no fees on online transactions and a free virtual debit card.

Established in 1981, SoftBank is headquartered in Tokyo and reports total assets of USD 214 billion as of December 2016.

By Chloe Miao and Ryan Gauthier, Research Associates