Paytm vs Policybazaar: Founders, CEOs and History
Paytm was founded in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma and is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Policybazaar was founded in 2008 by Yashish Dahiya, Alok Bansal, Avaneesh Nirjar and is led by Yashish Dahiya.
Company facts
Paytm
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Current CEO
- Vijay Shekhar Sharma
- Employees
- 40,000
Policybazaar
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Gurugram, Haryana, India
- Current CEO
- Yashish Dahiya
- Employees
- 22,329
Founders
Paytm
Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is an Indian entrepreneur who founded One97 Communications in 2000 and launched Paytm in 2010.
Policybazaar
Yashish Dahiya
Yashish Dahiya co-founded Policybazaar in 2008 with Alok Bansal and Avaneesh Nirjar and is Chairman and Group CEO of PB Fintech. He held 3.86% of the company as of March 31, 2026.
Alok Bansal
Alok Bansal is an absolutely brilliant financial executive, highly strategic technology operator, and the profoundly influential co-founder fundamentally responsible for the incredibly robust operational and financial architecture of the massive Policybazaar e…
Avaneesh Nirjar
Avaneesh Nirjar is a highly visionary software engineer, fiercely skilled digital architect, and the profoundly influential technical co-founder fundamentally responsible for programming the absolute earliest structural bedrock of the massive Policybazaar aggr…
CEOs and their tenures
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
Policybazaar
- Sarbvir Singh
Joint Group CEO
Joint Group CEO of PB Fintech alongside Yashish Dahiya.
Source - Yashish Dahiya2008–present
Co-founder, Chairman & Group CEO
An engineering graduate from IIT Delhi, MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, and MBA from INSEAD, Dahiya's ironclad focus on consumer advocacy transformed how Indians purchase financial protection.
Source - Alok Bansal2008–present
Co-founder & Executive Vice Chairman
Orchestrated the financial structuring and critical insurance carrier partnerships necessary to build India's largest digital insurance aggregation platform.
Source
Timeline: Paytm and Policybazaar side by side
2008Policybazaar
Policybazaar founded in Gurugram by Yashish Dahiya, Alok Bansal and Avaneesh Nirjar; Info Edge invests early.
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.
2014Policybazaar
Paisabazaar launched for credit scores, loans and credit cards.
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.
2018Paytm
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway invests $300 million in One97 Communications.
2019Paytm
Invents and deploys the first Paytm Soundbox, pioneering audio payment confirmation for shopkeepers.
2021Paytm
Lists on NSE and BSE following historic $2.5 billion initial public offering.
2021Policybazaar
PB Fintech lists on NSE and BSE after a ~$662 million (₹5,710 crore) IPO priced at ₹980 per share.
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.
2024Policybazaar
First full-year profit: ~$7.77 million (₹67 crore) PAT for FY2024.
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).
2026Policybazaar
FY2026 PAT of ~$77.7 million (₹670 crore) on ~$788 million (₹6,794 crore) revenue (May); Tencent exits and founders sell 0.8% (May); Temasek entity sells about 2.37% (July).
2026Policybazaar
September: IRDAI draft on commission and expense caps triggers a roughly 39% two-day share fall.
Acquisitions
Paytm
- Balance Technology2018Undisclosed
- Insider.in2017Undisclosed
- Nearbuy & Little2017Undisclosed
Questions about Paytm vs Policybazaar
Who is the CEO of Paytm and Policybazaar?
Paytm is led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma and Policybazaar is led by Yashish Dahiya. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Paytm founded vs Policybazaar?
Policybazaar was founded in 2008 — 2 years before Paytm, which was founded in 2010. Policybazaar'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 Paytm have compared to Policybazaar?
Paytm employs approximately 40,000 people, while Policybazaar employs approximately 22,329. Paytm has the larger workforce at 40,000 employees, compared to Policybazaar's 22,329. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Paytm and Policybazaar headquartered?
Both Paytm and Policybazaar are headquartered in India, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Paytm and Policybazaar?
Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Policybazaar was founded by Yashish Dahiya, Alok Bansal, Avaneesh Nirjar.
Which company has a longer operating history — Paytm or Policybazaar?
Policybazaar has been operating for approximately 18 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 Paytm vs Policybazaar overview