News, The Morning Context

PB Fintech’s excellent results need to be read with caution

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PB Fintech’s quarterly results were impressive, showing remarkable growth in revenue and a zoom in profits. However, the market’s reaction was subdued, and analysts are divided between buy and sell recommendations. Caution is needed because two of the leading products—Policybazaar and PaisaBazaar—yielded low margins. Furthermore, the credit business, especially unsecured lending, is slowing down following mandates from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Another risk is the potential for policy lapses leading to clawbacks on commissions already booked as revenue.

News, The Morning Context

Former senior executive Lathika Pai sues Microsoft

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Lathika Pai, a veteran executive in the Indian startup ecosystem, has filed a lawsuit against her former employer Microsoft India. The civil suit seeks that the tech giant pay approximately Rs 35 crore in damages for allegedly coercing Pai to resign by intimidating her and creating a hostile work environment. The lawsuit names Microsoft India president Puneet Chandok and human resources head Arum Kakatkar as defendants.

News, The Morning Context

Amid results showing signs of recovery, Vijay Shekhar Sharma teases a return for Paytm wallets

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Paytm announced its results for the quarter ended March 2025, showing signs of recovery. Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma teased a potential return for Paytm wallets, saying they “may be near a breakthrough or some resolution.” This is a significant hint for shareholders following the fintech company’s decline after the RBI restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank. The company is on track for profitability, with strong growth in financial services and merchant subscriptions.

News, The Morning Context

SC scrapped Bhushan Power and Steel deal to protect IBC, not undermine it

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Every party in the acquisition of insolvent steelmaker Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd stretched the limits, including JSW Steel and the NCLT/NCLAT. The Supreme Court’s verdict cancelled the acquisition and ordered BPSL’s liquidation. The SC’s message is that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) resolution process rules must be followed, and violations cannot be condoned. The ruling upholds the sanctity of the IBC framework, despite the cost to the acquirer, JSW Steel.

News, The Morning Context

Lured by a get rich(er) quick scheme, HNIs allege TradeCred bluffed them

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TradeCred may have reached the end of the road, according to eight HNI investors who want to withdraw their funds after alleging the invoice discounting platform bluffed them. The platform offered high-net-worth individuals the chance to invest in invoices for short-term returns. The story details a journey from sales pitches to legal notices, with many investors still waiting for their principal amount and returns. The platform is currently operating in a regulatory grey area.

News, The Morning Context

The silent takeover of Lendingkart

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Lendingkart has undergone a major leadership churn since October 2024, set in motion by its key investor Fullerton Financial Holdings. The shake-up was intended to keep an eye on the cash-strapped fintech. There has been an exodus of senior executives, including Sandeep Somnani (Chief Officer) and Gautam Singhania (CFO). Co-founder Harshvardhan Lunia has also been kept out of the loop on major decisions, signaling Fullerton’s active takeover.

News, The Morning Context

In Juspay vs fintechs, economics will decide the winner

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A narrative war is unfolding in India’s fintech ecosystem. On one side is Juspay, a payments orchestrator. On the other are four of the largest payment aggregators (PAs): PhonePe, Razorpay, Cashfree, and Paytm. The PAs have told merchants that their payment gateways will no longer work with Juspay’s orchestrator. Juspay is now accusing the PAs of engaging in anti-competitive tactics. The PAs are demanding neutrality and fair play. This is a big matter involving four of the largest PAs. The fight is being waged on economics that will decide the winner.

News, The Morning Context

Indian fintech’s gold rush is yet to take off

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India’s fintech sector has finally been bitten by the gold bug. Fintechs are exploring gold-linked products like digital gold savings, gold loans (credit), and gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs). However, there are two problems for fintechs looking to sell gold products: regulatory hurdles and the small revenue pool. The total revenue pool for Indian fintechs from all major gold-linked products is estimated at about Rs 1,500-2,000 crore annually. The Finance Ministry is preparing a regulatory framework for digital gold, and the RBI is considering rules for gold leasing, following a crackdown on peer-to-peer lending.

News, The Morning Context

CRED is facing a catch-22 situation

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CRED is facing a catch-22 situation. The platform, founded by Kunal Shah, spent heavily on growth and acquiring affluent users. Despite substantial revenue growth in FY25 (₹1,473 crore), the company is yet to turn a profit. Its main revenue driver is the loans business (about 85% of FY25 revenue), but the growth rate of loan distribution has suffered a downturn. Analysts suggest CRED may not have enough cash left to build another vertical or sustain its current high valuation without significant fundraising.

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