CRED vs Deel: Founders, CEOs and History
CRED was founded in 2018 by Kunal Shah and is led by Miten Sampat (interim CEO). Deel was founded in 2019 by Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang and is led by Alex Bouaziz.
Company facts
Founders
CRED
Kunal Shah
Kunal Shah founded CRED in 2018 with a highly contrarian premise: instead of building financial products for the unbanked masses, he focused exclusively on the top 1% of India's most creditworthy individuals.
Deel
Alex Bouaziz
Alex Bouaziz is Deel's co-founder and CEO. He started Deel in 2019 with Shuo Wang after experiencing first-hand how hard it was to hire and pay people across borders, took it through Y Combinator, and has led it from contractor payments to a full global HR and…
Shuo Wang
Shuo Wang is Deel's co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer. She leads Deel's go-to-market organization and has overseen its sales growth from early contractor-payment customers to more than 40,000 businesses worldwide. Shuo Wang was born in 1989.
CEOs and their tenures
CRED
- Kunal Shah2018–2026
Founder & CEO
Philosophy graduate of Wilson College and co-founder of FreeCharge; left CRED in June 2026 to become global head of WhatsApp at Meta.
Source - Miten Sampat2026–present
Interim Chief Executive Officer
As a key executive and former Times Internet executive, he drives the incredibly complex monetization strategy of the platform, attempting to justify its massive multi-billion dollar valuation.
Source
Deel
- Alex Bouaziz2019–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
As co-founder and CEO, he capitalized heavily on the pandemic-driven remote work boom, driving the company to $500 million in ARR faster than almost any SaaS startup in history.
Source - Shuo Wang2019–present
Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer
As co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, she oversees the aggressive global sales operations that allowed Deel to consistently double its revenue year-over-year.
Source - Philippe Bouaziz2019–present
Executive Chairman & Chief Strategy Officer
As CFO during Deel's hyper-growth phase, he managed the massive venture capital influx, including the $425 million Series D that valued the company at $12 billion.
Source - Joe Kauffman2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he manages the massive cross-border payment flows and foreign exchange risk inherent in processing billions of dollars in global contractor payroll.
Source
Timeline: CRED and Deel side by side
2018CRED
Kunal Shah starts Dreamplug Technologies in Bengaluru and launches CRED, raising a reported $30 million seed round.
2019CRED
Raises a $120 million Series B led by Ribbit Capital.
2019Deel
Deel founded; joins Y Combinator W19
Alex Bouaziz and Shuo Wang launch Deel for compliant international contractor payments.
2020CRED
Becomes an official IPL partner and launches CRED Cash personal credit lines.
2020Deel
Series A and B
$14M Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (May) and $30M Series B led by Spark Capital (September) as remote hiring took off.
2021CRED
Becomes a unicorn with a $215 million Series D at $2.2 billion, then a $251 million Series E at $4.01 billion; acquires HipBar and Happay.
2021Deel
$1.25B Series C, then $5.5B Series D
$156M Series C in April; $425M Series D led by Coatue in October.
2021Deel
Acquired Zeitgold
Deel acquired Zeitgold.
2022CRED
Raises $140 million Series F led by GIC at a $6.4 billion valuation; acquires CreditVidya and takes a minority stake in LiquiLoans.
2022Deel
$12B valuation; Legalpad acquired; $295M ARR
Series D extension in May; ARR reached $295M by year-end.
2023Deel
PayGroup completed; free Deel HR
Closed the PayGroup acquisition and launched a free global HRIS.
2024CRED
Acquires wealth platform Kuvera in February; FY24 revenue rises 66% to ~$287 million (₹2,473 crore).
2024Deel
Hofy and Zavvy; $800M ARR
Launched Deel IT after buying Hofy; reached $800M run rate in December.
2025CRED
Raises $72 million led by GIC in May at about $3.5 billion, a down round from its 2022 peak.
2025Deel
Rippling lawsuit; $1B ARR; $17.3B Series E
Rippling sued in March; Safeguard Global payroll deal in March; $1B ARR in June; $300M Series E in October; Joe Kauffman named CFO in November.
2026CRED
Reports FY25 revenue of ~$317 million (₹2,735 crore); in June, Meta leads a $900 million Series H at about $4.5 billion, Kunal Shah joins Meta to lead WhatsApp and Miten Sampat becomes interim CEO.
2026Deel
DOJ probe reported; $1.5B ARR; Clarity acquired
WSJ reported a DOJ criminal probe in January; Deel passed $1.5B ARR in H1 and bought Clarity in August.
Acquisitions
CRED
- Kuvera (BaralMusk Technology)2024Undisclosed
- CreditVidya2022Undisclosed
- Happay2021$180M
- HipBar2021Undisclosed
Deel
- Clarity2026Undisclosed
- Safeguard Global (enterprise payroll division)2025Undisclosed
- Hofy2024Undisclosed
- PayGroup2023Undisclosed
- Legalpad2022Undisclosed
- Zeitgold2021Undisclosed
Questions about CRED vs Deel
Who is the CEO of CRED and Deel, Inc.?
CRED is led by Miten Sampat (interim CEO) and Deel, Inc. is led by Alex Bouaziz. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was CRED founded vs Deel, Inc.?
CRED was founded in 2018 — 1 year before Deel, Inc., which was founded in 2019. CRED's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Deel, Inc..
How many employees does CRED have compared to Deel, Inc.?
CRED employs approximately 1,200 people, while Deel, Inc. employs approximately 9,600. Deel, Inc. has the larger workforce at 9,600 employees, compared to CRED's 1,200. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are CRED and Deel, Inc. headquartered?
CRED is headquartered in India and Deel, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded CRED and Deel, Inc.?
CRED was founded by Kunal Shah. Deel, Inc. was founded by Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang.
Which company has a longer operating history — CRED or Deel, Inc.?
CRED has been operating for approximately 8 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Deel, Inc. has been in operation for around 7 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 CRED vs Deel overview