Fiserv vs Paytm: Founders, CEOs and History
Fiserv was founded in 1984 by Leslie M. Muma, George D. Dalton and is led by Takis Georgakopoulos. Paytm was founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma and is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Company facts
Founders
Fiserv
Leslie M. Muma
Leslie M. Muma is a co-founder of Fiserv. He led the company's Florida operations after the 1984 merger, served as president for many years and later succeeded George Dalton as CEO, leading Fiserv until Jeff Yabuki took over in 2005.
George D. Dalton
George D. Dalton co-founded Fiserv in 1984 and served as its first CEO and chairman.
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
Fiserv
- Jeff Yabuki2005–2020
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2005 to 2020, he generated absolutely massive shareholder returns (the stock rose over 900% during his tenure) by ruthlessly acquiring and integrating hundreds of smaller fintech companies.
Source - Frank J. Bisignano2020–2025
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
As CEO of the combined Fiserv, he aggressively pushes the 'Clover' point-of-sale hardware to directly combat Square (Block) and Toast in the fiercely competitive restaurant and small business sector.
Source - Paul Todd2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he manages the massive capital return program (billions in share buybacks) that keeps the stock price highly elevated despite severe competitive threats to the core business.
Source - Michael P. Lyons2025–2026
President and Chief Executive Officer
As a key segment president, he defends the incredibly sticky, highly lucrative bank technology division from modern, cloud-based core banking upstarts like nCino and Mambu.
Source - Takis Georgakopoulos2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed as a senior executive in 2024, he oversees the absolutely critical merchant acceptance business, attempting to modernize the legacy infrastructure that powers millions of global transactions daily.
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: Fiserv and Paytm side by side
1984Fiserv
Fiserv founded
George Dalton's Milwaukee data processing operation and Leslie Muma's Sunshine State Systems combined to form Fiserv.
1986Fiserv
Nasdaq IPO
Fiserv went public on Nasdaq under the ticker FISV.
2005Fiserv
Jeffery Yabuki Becomes CEO
Jeffery Yabuki became chief executive of Fiserv in December 2005.
2007Fiserv
CheckFree acquisition
Bought online bill payment company CheckFree for about $4.4 billion.
2010Paytm
Paytm launched in Noida by Vijay Shekhar Sharma under One97 Communications as a mobile recharge portal.
2013Fiserv
Open Solutions Acquired
Fiserv bought the banking-software company Open Solutions in January 2013.
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.
2018Fiserv
Fiserv Forum Naming Rights
Fiserv bought the naming rights to the Milwaukee Bucks arena, Fiserv Forum, in 2018.
2018Paytm
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway invests $300 million in One97 Communications.
2019Fiserv
First Data merger
Completed the all-stock acquisition of First Data, valued around $22 billion, adding Clover and merchant acquiring.
2019Paytm
Invents and deploys the first Paytm Soundbox, pioneering audio payment confirmation for shopkeepers.
2020Fiserv
Frank Bisignano becomes CEO
Former First Data CEO Frank Bisignano succeeded Jeff Yabuki.
2021Paytm
Lists on NSE and BSE following historic $2.5 billion initial public offering.
2022Fiserv
Acquired Finxact
Fiserv acquired Finxact for $650 million.
2023Fiserv
Move to NYSE as FI
Fiserv transferred its listing to the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FI.
2023Paytm
Deploys over 10 million subscription devices; Vijay Shekhar Sharma increases voting stake to 19.4%.
2024Paytm
Migrates UPI clearing to Yes Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC, and SBI; sells ticketing business to Zomato for 2,048 crore.
2025Fiserv
Mike Lyons becomes CEO; stock crashes
Lyons took over in May 2025 when Bisignano became Social Security Commissioner. On October 29, 2025, shares fell 44% after a guidance cut; Paul Todd became CFO and the company returned to Nasdaq as FISV.
2025Paytm
Antfin sells its remaining stake, leaving Paytm without Chinese shareholders; Paytm receives an online Payment Aggregator licence.
2026Fiserv
Takis Georgakopoulos named CEO
Lyons left in June 2026 to run Truist; Georgakopoulos was appointed CEO. In August, Fiserv cut 2026 guidance after a 4% Q2 revenue decline.
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
Fiserv
- Finxact2022$650M
- First Data Corporation2019$22B
- CheckFree Corporation2007$4.4B
Paytm
- Balance Technology2018Undisclosed
- Insider.in2017Undisclosed
- Nearbuy & Little2017Undisclosed
Questions about Fiserv vs Paytm
Who is the CEO of Fiserv, Inc. and Paytm?
Fiserv, Inc. is led by Takis Georgakopoulos 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 Fiserv, Inc. founded vs Paytm?
Fiserv, Inc. was founded in 1984 — 26 years before Paytm, which was founded in 2010. Fiserv, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Paytm.
How many employees does Fiserv, Inc. have compared to Paytm?
Fiserv, Inc. employs approximately 38,000 people, while Paytm employs approximately 40,000. Paytm has the larger workforce at 40,000 employees, compared to Fiserv, Inc.'s 38,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Fiserv, Inc. and Paytm headquartered?
Fiserv, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Paytm is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Fiserv, Inc. and Paytm?
Fiserv, Inc. was founded by Leslie M. Muma, George D. Dalton. Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Which company has a longer operating history — Fiserv, Inc. or Paytm?
Fiserv, Inc. has been operating for approximately 42 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Paytm has been in operation for around 16 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 Fiserv vs Paytm overview