Afterpay vs Paytm: Founders, CEOs and History
Afterpay was founded in 2014 by Nick Molnar, Anthony Eisen and is led by Jack Dorsey (Block parent). Paytm was founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma and is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Company facts
Founders
Afterpay
Nick Molnar
Nick Molnar co-founded Afterpay and served as co-CEO through the Block acquisition. Block's 2024 shareholder letter said he would lead a centralized sales function across Block, including Square, reporting to Jack Dorsey. Nick Molnar was born in 1990.
Anthony Eisen
Anthony Eisen co-founded Afterpay in 2014. As the older, highly experienced financial architect, he secured the massive initial debt facilities required to actually fund the consumer loans before merchants were paid.
Paytm
Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is an Indian entrepreneur who founded One97 Communications in 2000 and launched Paytm in 2010.
CEOs and their tenures
Afterpay
- Nick Molnar2014–2022
Co-founder and Co-CEO
As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, he served as the public face of the company, rapidly scaling the 'Buy Now, Pay Later' (BNPL) model globally before orchestrating the massive sale to Block.
Source - Anthony Eisen2014–2022
Co-founder and Co-CEO
As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, he navigated intense regulatory scrutiny from the Australian government regarding predatory lending practices.
Source - Jack Dorsey2022–present
CEO of parent company Block
As CEO of Block (formerly Square), he bet the future of his company on the premise that Afterpay's massive merchant network could close the loop between Square's sellers and Cash App's consumers.
Source
Paytm
- Madhur Deora
President & Group CFO
Senior finance executive who led Paytm's investor communication through the 2024 RBI restructuring and the FY26 return to profit.
Source - Vijay Shekhar Sharma2010–present
Founder, MD & CEO
Born in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Sharma graduated in engineering from Delhi College of Engineering. His tenacity established mobile QR code transactions across millions of Indian street vendors and small merchants.
Source
Timeline: Afterpay and Paytm side by side
2010Paytm
Paytm launched in Noida by Vijay Shekhar Sharma under One97 Communications as a mobile recharge portal.
2014Afterpay
Afterpay founded
Nick Molnar and Anthony Eisen founded Afterpay in Sydney.
2014Paytm
Launches the Paytm Wallet, allowing consumers to store digital cash for bus tickets and mobile recharges.
2015Paytm
Alibaba Group and Ant Financial invest $680 million, validating Paytm as India's mobile payment leader.
2016Afterpay
ASX listing
Afterpay listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and reported ~$903,000 (A$1.4 million) of FY2016 revenue.
2016Paytm
Indian demonetization triggers exponential merchant QR code adoption; Paytm becomes a national household brand.
2017Afterpay
Touchcorp transaction
Afterpay acquired Touchcorp and the combined business became Afterpay Touch Group.
2017Paytm
Launches Paytm Payments Bank; raises $1.4 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund.
2018Afterpay
United States launch
Afterpay expanded its installment service into the United States.
2018Afterpay
ClearPay stake acquired
Afterpay acquired 90% of ClearPay Finance Limited for one million Afterpay shares.
2018Paytm
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway invests $300 million in One97 Communications.
2019Afterpay
Clearpay launched in the United Kingdom
Afterpay launched in the United Kingdom under the Clearpay brand.
2019Paytm
Invents and deploys the first Paytm Soundbox, pioneering audio payment confirmation for shopkeepers.
2020Afterpay
Canada expansion
Afterpay added Canada to its operating markets.
2020Afterpay
EmpatKali acquired
Afterpay acquired Singapore-based EmpatKali, which operated in Indonesia.
2020Afterpay
Pagantis agreement
Afterpay agreed to acquire Pagantis and PMT Technology to support expansion in southern Europe.
2021Afterpay
Block acquisition announced
Square and Afterpay announced a recommended scheme under which Square would acquire all Afterpay shares.
2021Paytm
Lists on NSE and BSE following historic $2.5 billion initial public offering.
2022Afterpay
Block acquisition completed
Block completed the scheme of arrangement on January 31, 2022.
2023Paytm
Deploys over 10 million subscription devices; Vijay Shekhar Sharma increases voting stake to 19.4%.
2024Afterpay
Afterpay marks ten years
Afterpay reported more than 24 million active customers and more than 348,000 global merchants.
2024Paytm
Migrates UPI clearing to Yes Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC, and SBI; sells ticketing business to Zomato for 2,048 crore.
2025Afterpay
Australian BNPL credit rules commence
Australian BNPL contracts became regulated credit contracts from June 10, 2025.
2025Paytm
Antfin sells its remaining stake, leaving Paytm without Chinese shareholders; Paytm receives an online Payment Aggregator licence.
2026Paytm
Reports FY26 revenue of ~$979 million (₹8,437 crore) (+22%) and its first full-year profit; Q1 FY27 profit rises 79% to ~$25.5 million (₹220 crore).
Acquisitions
Afterpay
- EmpatKali2020Undisclosed
- Pagantis SAU and PMT Technology SLU2020Undisclosed
- ClearPay Finance Limited (90% stake)2018Undisclosed
- Touchcorp Limited2017Undisclosed
Paytm
- Balance Technology2018Undisclosed
- Insider.in2017Undisclosed
- Nearbuy & Little2017Undisclosed
Questions about Afterpay vs Paytm
Who is the CEO of Afterpay Limited and Paytm?
Afterpay Limited is led by Jack Dorsey (Block parent) and Paytm is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Afterpay Limited founded vs Paytm?
Paytm was founded in 2010 — 4 years before Afterpay Limited, which was founded in 2014. Paytm's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Afterpay Limited.
How many employees does Afterpay Limited have compared to Paytm?
Afterpay Limited employs approximately 1,300 people, while Paytm employs approximately 40,000. Paytm has the larger workforce at 40,000 employees, compared to Afterpay Limited's 1,300. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Afterpay Limited and Paytm headquartered?
Afterpay Limited is headquartered in Australia and Paytm is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Afterpay Limited and Paytm?
Afterpay Limited was founded by Nick Molnar, Anthony Eisen. Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Which company has a longer operating history — Afterpay Limited or Paytm?
Paytm has been operating for approximately 16 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Afterpay Limited 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 Afterpay vs Paytm overview