BharatPe vs Paytm: Founders, CEOs and History
BharatPe was founded in 2018 by Shashvat Nakrani, Ashneer Grover, Bhavik Koladiya and is led by Nalin Negi. Paytm was founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma and is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Company facts
Founders
BharatPe
Shashvat Nakrani
Shashvat Nakrani co-founded BharatPe with Bhavik Koladiya, starting work in July 2017 and incorporating the company in March 2018.
Ashneer Grover
Ashneer Grover joined Nakrani and Koladiya as co-founder in 2018 and led BharatPe's fundraising and expansion, taking it to a $2.85 billion valuation in 2021. He became widely known as a judge on Shark Tank India.
Bhavik Koladiya
Bhavik Koladiya co-founded BharatPe with Shashvat Nakrani and built its early product.
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
BharatPe
- Ashneer Grover2018–2022
Co-founder & Managing Director
An IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad graduate and former Grofers CFO, he made BharatPe a national brand quickly. He left in early 2022 after an internal review and settled with the company in September 2024.
Source - Suhail Sameer2021–2023
CEO
Previously CEO of the FMCG business at the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group. He stepped down on 7 January 2023 and stayed on as a strategic adviser.
Source - Nalin Negi2023–present
CEO
He spent more than a decade as CFO of SBI Card, taking it through its 2020 IPO, after a career at GE Capital, and has over 28 years in financial services.
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: BharatPe and Paytm side by side
2010Paytm
Paytm launched in Noida by Vijay Shekhar Sharma under One97 Communications as a mobile recharge portal.
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.
2016Paytm
Indian demonetization triggers exponential merchant QR code adoption; Paytm becomes a national household brand.
2017Paytm
Launches Paytm Payments Bank; raises $1.4 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund.
2018BharatPe
Founded in New Delhi: Bhavik Koladiya and Shashvat Nakrani incorporated Resilient Innovations in March 2018, having started work in July 2017.
2018Paytm
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway invests $300 million in One97 Communications.
2019BharatPe
Venture funding begins: BharatPe raised a $15.5 million Series A in March 2019 and a $50 million Series B in August 2019.
2019Paytm
Invents and deploys the first Paytm Soundbox, pioneering audio payment confirmation for shopkeepers.
2020BharatPe
Series C and card machines: a $75 million Series C in February 2020 was followed by the launch of BharatSwipe card machines in the second half of the year.
2021BharatPe
Unicorn round and a bank: BharatPe bought PAYBACK India for about $27 million in June, raised $370 million led by Tiger Global at a $2.85 billion valuation in August, and Unity Small Finance Bank, 49%…
2021Paytm
Lists on NSE and BSE following historic $2.5 billion initial public offering.
2022BharatPe
Governance crisis: PMC Bank's branches became Unity branches on 25 January. Ashneer Grover left after an internal review, Bhavik Koladiya ended his association in August, and former SBI Card CFO Nalin…
2023BharatPe
New leadership: Suhail Sameer stepped down as CEO in January and Nalin Negi became interim CEO. BharatPe bought 51% of NBFC Trillion Loans and renamed PAYBACK India as Zillion.
2023Paytm
Deploys over 10 million subscription devices; Vijay Shekhar Sharma increases voting stake to 19.4%.
2024BharatPe
Settlement: Negi was made full-time CEO on 16 April, BharatPe settled all disputes with Ashneer Grover on 30 September, and the 12% Club became Invest BharatPe.
2024Paytm
Migrates UPI clearing to Yes Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC, and SBI; sells ticketing business to Zomato for 2,048 crore.
2025BharatPe
First adjusted profit: RBI granted the online payment aggregator licence in April, BharatPe reported a ~$696,000 (₹6 crore) adjusted profit before tax for FY2025, and it launched a RuPay credit card w…
2025Paytm
Antfin sells its remaining stake, leaving Paytm without Chinese shareholders; Paytm receives an online Payment Aggregator licence.
2026BharatPe
Founders exit operations: Shashvat Nakrani stepped back as COO from 1 May, and in July the Delhi High Court restrained Unity Small Finance Bank from raising its authorised capital pending arbitration…
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
BharatPe
- Trillion Loans2023Undisclosed
- PAYBACK India2021$27M
- Unity Small Finance Bank (49% stake)2021Undisclosed
Paytm
- Balance Technology2018Undisclosed
- Insider.in2017Undisclosed
- Nearbuy & Little2017Undisclosed
Questions about BharatPe vs Paytm
Who is the CEO of BharatPe and Paytm?
BharatPe is led by Nalin Negi 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 BharatPe founded vs Paytm?
Paytm was founded in 2010 — 8 years before BharatPe, which was founded in 2018. Paytm's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger BharatPe.
How many employees does BharatPe have compared to Paytm?
BharatPe employs approximately 2,000 people, while Paytm employs approximately 40,000. Paytm has the larger workforce at 40,000 employees, compared to BharatPe's 2,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are BharatPe and Paytm headquartered?
Both BharatPe and Paytm are headquartered in India, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded BharatPe and Paytm?
BharatPe was founded by Shashvat Nakrani, Ashneer Grover, Bhavik Koladiya. Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Which company has a longer operating history — BharatPe or Paytm?
Paytm has been operating for approximately 16 years, making it the more established of the two companies. BharatPe has been in operation for around 8 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 BharatPe vs Paytm overview