Tag: alibaba

Paytm has received investment funds from the commerce giant, solidifying its position in India.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has recently announced that it has made an investment into the company behind the Paytm mobile wallet in India, a startup called One97 Communications.

The Chinese online shopping giant revealed this news in a press release issued at the close of September.

The company has chosen to invest in the mobile wallet and online shopping site, sending Alibaba even further into the world of mobile payments. In India, this will also help the company to enhance its competitive position when compared to its rival, Snapdeal. One of its affiliates, Ant Financial Services Group, also made an investment into Paytm, back in February. It will also be joining into this most recent round of investments, said the press release on the matter. The funds will be used by Paytm in order to be able to boost its business and to place a focus on its technology, marketing and talent.

The specific terms of the agreement with regards to the mobile wallet investment have not yet been released.

That said, it is known that Alibaba and Ant Financial have made an investment of $680 million in order to boost their stake in the company from having been 25 percent to become a much larger 40 percent. Back in June, Reuters released a report that indicated that this type of investment could be worth more than $600 million, so the figures do align with what experts had been predicting.

According to the Alibaba Group CEO, Daniel Zhang, “India is an important emerging market with strong e-commerce potential.” He also added that “This investment will further expand Alibaba Group’s global footprint to India’s thriving mobile commerce market.”

This is an important market for Alibaba, which has been watching a slowing in the growth that it has been experiencing in its home country of China. As India is the fastest growing large economy on the planet, it appears to be the next logical step for a company the size of Alibaba. It is a move that is being made by a number of companies in the smartphone sphere, as mobile wallets, payment, and commerce rise in India.

Paytm intends to launch its own bank in India in the near future

Paytm, an Indian electronic and mobile commerce organization, has announced plans to establish India’s first payments bank. The company intends to leverage its extensive mobile commerce experience, especially when it comes to mobile wallets, to establish a lead in the financial sector. The company has already found success in the mobile space by offering consumers access to its mobile wallet platform, which is expected to reach 150 million users by March 2016.

Several companies have been approved to launch their own banks in the country

Paytm is among 42 companies that have received approval from the Indian government to launch payment banks. The banks will take deposits and provide remittance and payment services. These banks are expected to be quite useful for migrant workers that need to send money to their home country. The banks will be unable to issue loans, however, but they will be able to provide a wealth of services to consumers that still do not have bank accounts.

Paytm will see relatively little competition with its new bank

Operating in the mobile commerce space has given Paytm the experience it needs to find success with its payment bank. The company is expected to launch its payment bank before its competitors, which will give it a significant edge. Alibaba, a Chinese company that has established a major presence in the mobile commerce space, has plans to launch a payment bank of its own through its One97 Communications organization. The company will be significantly slower in launching this bank, however, and Paytm will have streamlined its financial services before any major competition enters the market.

Mobile commerce companies are expanding into new territory

Mobile commerce continues to grow in popularity in India, which has become one of the world’s most attractive mobile markets. As companies specializing in mobile payments find more success, they are beginning to expand into new territory. These companies are bringing more competition into new sectors, which is forcing other companies to provide better services to consumers.