Paytm gets RBI's final approval to operate as payment aggregator

27 Nov 2025, 12:13 PM

The central bank's final approval comes as a huge regulatory relief to Paytm after its bid to get the PA license was rejected earlier.

Team Head&Tale

Paytm Payments Services Ltd has received the Reserve Bank of India's approval to function as a Payment Aggregator (PA), a huge regulatory relief for the company after its bid was rejected by the central bank earlier.

The Certificate of Authorisation to operate as a PA in India comes into effect from November 26, 2025, said Paytm in a stock market disclosure

The central bank had granted the in-principle approval to Paytm Payments Services to operate as a PA in August this year. 

The fintech major had submitted a fresh application in September 2024 following the rejection of its earlier bid in November 2022, which was turned down over concerns related to foreign investment compliance.

The Head and Tale had previously reported that the company re-applied for the license in January after addressing RBI queries.

Paytm Payments Services -- which was barred from onboarding new merchants for over two years -- witnessed significant impact on its revenue. One of the concerns in the approval process had been the scrutiny over Chinese fintech giant Ant Group’s stake in Paytm.

Recently, Ant Group's Antfin, backed by Chinese giant Alibaba, offloaded its entire 5.84% stake in the fintech through a bulk deal worth about Rs 3,800 crore.

The company will use the PA authorization to bring new online merchants onto its platform, scale up payment transaction volumes, and drive revenue expansion.

Who Reads Us

I enjoy reading The Head and Tale for their coverage on the Fintech landscape. The reporting is incisive and honest,  and it demonstrates a sharp understanding of the industry and the issues that concern it. I'd like to extend my best wishes to Arti for her continued success.

Rahul Chari, Co-Founder and CTO, PhonePe
Rahul Chari Co-Founder And CTO, PhonePe

Well-researched, informative and analysis based reporting makes an interesting read. 'The Head and Tale' news portal has been demonstrating this quite well covering fintech and emerging tech sectors. Their timely updates, exclusive stories and different perspectives on these sectors help me stay informed. Kudos to Arti Singh for pursuing her passion and best wishes to the team.

Rishi Gupta, MD & CEO, Fino Payments Bank
Rishi Gupta MD & CEO, Fino Payments Bank

The Head and Tale stands out for its deep industry knowledge and impressive network of sources. I especially appreciate that the reporting remains independent, rarely resorting to paid puff pieces, making it a publication I can genuinely trust. Having followed Arti’s work for years, I’ve come to rely on The Head and Tale for its unparalleled insight and truly independent coverage. Arti’s long-standing presence in the sector means her reporting is always informed, with access few can match.

Lizzie Chapman, co-founder, ZestMoney
Lizzie Chapman Co-founder, ZestMoney

What I really appreciate about The Head and Tale is that it doesn’t just report the news, it interprets it. The stories are well-researched, comprehensive, and bold. Arti brings a fearless lens to reporting, often asking the uncomfortable but necessary questions. She makes you pause, reflect, and rethink what it all means for the payments and fintech ecosystem. It’s rare to find journalism that’s this sharp, timely, and relevant to the work we do every day.

Mohit Bedi, co-founder, Kiwi
Mohit Bedi Co-founder, Kiwi

I’ve always valued journalism that goes beyond surface-level headlines. The Head and Tale does exactly that - it connects the dots, asks the tough questions, and brings clarity to the shifts shaping our evolving industry. I’ve even encouraged my team members to subscribe, because staying informed through credible, deeply reported stories is as important as building products. For me, The Head and Tale has become part of essential reading.

Cofounder of IPO-bound leading fintech lending company
Cofounder of IPO-bound leading fintech lending company