Ex-Niyo team floated fintech startup Belong bags seed funding led by Elevation

Ex-Niyo team floated fintech startup Belong bags seed funding led by Elevation

09 Jul 2025, 12:20 PM

The startup will use the fresh capital to expand its presence in geographies that have a sizable NRI presence such as the Gulf, the UK and the US.

Team Head&Tale

Share the story on

Belong, a fintech platform focused on providing financial products and services for non-resident Indians (NRIs), has raised $5 million in its seed funding round led by Elevation Capital.

Relentless Ventures and angel investors including Abhiraj Singh Bahl and Varun Khaitan (cofounders of Urban Company), Akshant Goyal (CFO, Zomato), Varun Alagh (cofounder of Mamaearth), Vineet Sethi (senior vice president at PayU), and Aditya Sharma (partner, McKinsey) also participated into the funding round.

The startup will use the fresh capital to expand its presence in geographies that have a sizable NRI presence such as the Gulf, the UK and the US. Part of the funds will also be used to obtain regulatory licenses and boost its product suite.

Belong, operated by Betafront Technologies Pvt Ltd, was founded last year by Ankur Choudhary, Ayush Singh, Sai Sankar M. All the co-founders have formerly worked at Niyo, a fintech company, which is backed by institutional investors such as private equity firm Multiples, Accel and Lightrock India.

Belong, which seeks to simplify cross-border finances for NRIs, has already launched a USD fixed deposit product developed in partnership with Indian banks operating at GIFT City. It also plans to launch mutual funds, Indian and US equities, insurance, and financial cards, all structured under GIFT City's regulatory framework.

Last month, Aspora, a cross-border payment startup that aims to serve the diaspora community, attracted $53 billion in its Series B funding round co-led by venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and Greylock Partners.

Earlier in February, another cross-border payments startup Dodo Payments bagged $1.1 million in pre-seed funding led by Antler, 9Unicorns and Venture Catalysts.

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

“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

“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

“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

“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.”