Affirm vs Razorpay: Founders, CEOs and History
Affirm was founded in 2012 by Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz and is led by Max Levchin. Razorpay was founded in 2014 by Harshil Mathur, Shashank Kumar and is led by Harshil Mathur.
Company facts
Founders
Affirm
Max Levchin
Max Levchin (born 1975) is a highly influential Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor. After helping build the foundational infrastructure of the modern digital payments industry at PayPal, he founded Affirm to challenge traditional credit card networks.
Nathan Gettings
Nathan Gettings co-founded Affirm, bringing immense expertise in massive-scale data analytics and risk modeling from his time building Palantir's core anti-fraud systems.
Jeffrey Kaditz
Jeffrey Kaditz co-founded Affirm and served as its first Chief Technology Officer.
Alex Rampell
Alex Rampell co-founded Affirm based on his deep understanding of point-of-sale financing and merchant networks.
Razorpay
Harshil Mathur
Harshil Mathur co-founded Razorpay in 2014 with Shashank Kumar after struggling to set up online payments for a crowdfunding project.
Shashank Kumar
Shashank Kumar co-founded Razorpay in 2014 alongside Harshil Mathur. Frustrated by the absolute nightmare of integrating archaic, highly bureaucratic bank payment gateways (which took weeks of paperwork) while trying to build a crowdfunding site, he built Razo…
CEOs and their tenures
Affirm
- Max Levchin2014–present
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Levchin founded Affirm in 2012 and leads its payment network, lending products, and no-late-fee strategy. He previously co-founded PayPal and served as its chief technology officer.
Source
Razorpay
- Harshil Mathur2014–present
Co-founder & CEO
Grew Razorpay into one of India's largest payment companies, with ~$439 million (₹3,783 crore) FY25 revenue.
Source - Shashank Kumar2014–present
Co-founder & Managing Director
As Co-Founder and Managing Director, he acts as the absolute driving force behind the company's incredibly rapid product innovation, fiercely defending its dominance against legacy banks.
Source
Timeline: Affirm and Razorpay side by side
2012Affirm
Affirm Founded
Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz, and Alex Rampell founded Affirm as part of the HVF startup studio.
2014Razorpay
Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar found Razorpay to simplify online payments in India.
2015Razorpay
Joins Y Combinator's Winter 2015 batch.
2016Affirm
Sweep Acquired
Affirm acquired the technology, staff, and assets of personal-finance app Sweep; terms were not disclosed.
2018Razorpay
Launches RazorpayX business banking and Razorpay Capital.
2019Affirm
Walmart Partnership
Affirm began offering installment financing to Walmart customers online and in stores.
2019Affirm
$300 Million Series F
Affirm announced a $300 million Series F funding round led by Thrive Capital.
2019Razorpay
Acquires fraud-detection startup Thirdwatch and payroll software startup Opfin.
2020Affirm
$500 Million Series G
Affirm raised a $500 million Series G and said it had raised more than $1.3 billion from investors to date.
2020Affirm
Shopify Partnership
Shopify selected Affirm to power Shop Pay Installments in the United States.
2020Razorpay
Becomes a unicorn after a $100 million Series D led by GIC and Sequoia Capital India.
2021Affirm
PayBright Acquisition Completed
Affirm completed its acquisition of Canadian BNPL provider PayBright after announcing consideration of approximately $245 million (C$340 million).
2021Affirm
Nasdaq IPO
Affirm sold 24.6 million Class A shares at $49 each in its initial public offering and began trading on Nasdaq under AFRM.
2021Affirm
Returnly Acquisition Completed
Affirm completed its approximately $300 million acquisition of online returns and post-purchase payments provider Returnly.
2021Affirm
Amazon Partnership
Affirm began testing pay-over-time options for eligible Amazon.com purchases in the United States.
2021Razorpay
Raises $375 million Series F at a $7.5 billion valuation; acquires TERA Finlabs.
2022Razorpay
Acquires Curlec (Malaysia), Ezetap (offline POS), IZealiant and PoshVine; RBI pauses new online merchant onboarding pending its payment aggregator licence.
2023Affirm
Affirm Card Launch
Affirm launched its debit card with pay-in-full and pay-over-time functionality.
2023Razorpay
Receives final RBI authorisation as an online payment aggregator.
2024Affirm
United Kingdom Launch
Affirm launched its pay-over-time products in the United Kingdom, its first market outside the United States and Canada.
2025Razorpay
Converts to Razorpay Software Limited and completes reverse flip of its parent from the US to India (May); FY25 revenue rises 65% to ~$439 million (₹3,783 crore).
2026Razorpay
Appoints IPO bankers (February) and confidentially files draft IPO papers with SEBI (June).
Acquisitions
Razorpay
- Ezetap2022$200M
- Curlec2022Undisclosed
- IZealiant Technologies2022Undisclosed
- PoshVine2022Undisclosed
- Thirdwatch2019Undisclosed
Questions about Affirm vs Razorpay
Who is the CEO of Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Razorpay?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. is led by Max Levchin and Razorpay is led by Harshil Mathur. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Affirm Holdings, Inc. founded vs Razorpay?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2012 — 2 years before Razorpay, which was founded in 2014. Affirm Holdings, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Razorpay.
How many employees does Affirm Holdings, Inc. have compared to Razorpay?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. employs approximately 2,358 people, while Razorpay employs approximately 3,500. Razorpay has the larger workforce at 3,500 employees, compared to Affirm Holdings, Inc.'s 2,358. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Razorpay headquartered?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Razorpay is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Razorpay?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. was founded by Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz, Alex Rampell. Razorpay was founded by Harshil Mathur, Shashank Kumar.
Which company has a longer operating history — Affirm Holdings, Inc. or Razorpay?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. has been operating for approximately 14 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Razorpay has been in operation for around 12 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Affirm vs Razorpay overview