How Demonetisation Created India's Digital Payment Giant. Founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma in 2010. Industry: FinTech / Digital Payments. Key Metrics: 300M+ Users | ₹9,000Cr+ Revenue.
Paytm was India's first fintech unicorn — starting as a DTH and mobile recharge platform, pivoting to mobile wallets, and becoming synonymous with digital payments during the 2016 demonetisation surge that overnight eliminated cash alternatives. Strategy: first-mover advantage in mobile wallets, QR code merchant network of 20M+ retailers, and diversification into banking, insurance, and lending.