CRED vs Worldpay: Founders, CEOs and History
CRED was founded in 2018 by Kunal Shah and is led by Miten Sampat (interim CEO). Worldpay was founded in 1971 by Nick Ogden and is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments).
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.
Worldpay
Nick Ogden
Nick Ogden founded WorldPay in 1997 as one of the early services for accepting card payments online in multiple currencies. The business later became part of Royal Bank of Scotland's card processing operations. The current Worldpay, Inc.
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
Worldpay
- Philip Jansen2013–2018
Chief Executive Officer, Worldpay Group plc (2013 - 2018)
Serving as CEO, he aggressively modernized the incredibly complex, legacy payment routing infrastructure before moving on to lead BT Group.
Source - Charles Drucker2024–2026
Chief Executive Officer (2024 - 2026)
Guided Worldpay's separation from FIS and its sale to Global Payments.
Source
Timeline: CRED and Worldpay side by side
1971Worldpay
Fifth Third Bank forms Midwest Payment Systems.
1997Worldpay
Nick Ogden launches the original WorldPay online payment service in the UK.
2010Worldpay
Worldpay Sold by RBS
Royal Bank of Scotland sold a majority of Worldpay to Advent International and Bain Capital in 2010.
2011Worldpay
Fifth Third Processing Solutions adopts the Vantiv name.
2012Worldpay
Vantiv lists on the NYSE.
2013Worldpay
Philip Jansen becomes CEO
Philip Jansen became CEO of Worldpay in 2013. Took the UK business from private equity ownership to a public listing and sale.
2014Worldpay
Acquired Mercury Payment Systems
Worldpay acquired Mercury Payment Systems for $1.65 billion.
2015Worldpay
Worldpay Group London IPO
Worldpay Group listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2015.
2018CRED
Kunal Shah starts Dreamplug Technologies in Bengaluru and launches CRED, raising a reported $30 million seed round.
2018Worldpay
Vantiv acquires Worldpay Group and becomes Worldpay, Inc.
2019CRED
Raises a $120 million Series B led by Ribbit Capital.
2019Worldpay
FIS acquires Worldpay.
2020CRED
Becomes an official IPL partner and launches CRED Cash personal credit lines.
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.
2022CRED
Raises $140 million Series F led by GIC at a $6.4 billion valuation; acquires CreditVidya and takes a minority stake in LiquiLoans.
2024CRED
Acquires wealth platform Kuvera in February; FY24 revenue rises 66% to ~$287 million (₹2,473 crore).
2024Worldpay
GTCR closes its purchase of a 55% stake; Charles Drucker returns as CEO.
2025CRED
Raises $72 million led by GIC in May at about $3.5 billion, a down round from its 2022 peak.
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.
2026Worldpay
Global Payments completes its $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay.
Acquisitions
CRED
- Kuvera (BaralMusk Technology)2024Undisclosed
- CreditVidya2022Undisclosed
- Happay2021$180M
- HipBar2021Undisclosed
Worldpay
- Worldpay Group plc2018$10.4B
- Mercury Payment Systems2014$1.6B
- Litle & Co.2012$361M
Questions about CRED vs Worldpay
Who is the CEO of CRED and Worldpay, Inc.?
CRED is led by Miten Sampat (interim CEO) and Worldpay, Inc. is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments). Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was CRED founded vs Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. was founded in 1971 — 47 years before CRED, which was founded in 2018. Worldpay, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger CRED.
How many employees does CRED have compared to Worldpay, Inc.?
CRED employs approximately 1,200 people, while Worldpay, Inc. employs approximately 8,500. Worldpay, Inc. has the larger workforce at 8,500 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 Worldpay, Inc. headquartered?
CRED is headquartered in India and Worldpay, 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 Worldpay, Inc.?
CRED was founded by Kunal Shah. Worldpay, Inc. was founded by Nick Ogden.
Which company has a longer operating history — CRED or Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. has been operating for approximately 55 years, making it the more established of the two companies. CRED 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 CRED vs Worldpay overview