Ant Financial Fully Exits Paytm with ₹3,803 Crore Block Deal; Share Price Drops 2.21% to ₹1,054.40 

Mumbai, 5 August 2025: In a major development in India’s fintech sector, Ant Financial, the investment arm of Jack Ma-led Ant Group, has sold its entire remaining stake in One97 Communications Ltd, the parent company of Paytm, for ₹3,803 crore via a block deal. The transaction marks Ant Group’s complete exit from the Indian digital payments giant. Following the deal, Paytm shares declined by 2.21%, reacting to the offloading of a significant stake.

Paytm Shares Decline 2.21% to ₹1,054.40 After Ant Group Offloads Entire 5.84% Stake

Paytm’s stock came under pressure on 5 August 2025, following the announcement of Ant Financial’s exit. The share price on the NSE fell by ₹23.80, or 2.21%, closing at ₹1,054.40 as of 2:25 PM IST.

• Opening Price: ₹1,067.60
• Day’s High: ₹1,087.00
• Day’s Low: ₹1,050.00
• Previous Close (4 August 2025): ₹1,078.20
• Market Capitalisation: ₹67,230 crore
• P/E Ratio: 237.48
• 52-week Range: ₹481.65 – ₹1,128.50

The 5.4% discount on the share sale price (₹1,020 per share) compared to the previous close also contributed to the negative sentiment in the stock.

₹3,803 Crore Block Deal: Ant Financial Sells 3.73 Crore Shares of Paytm at ₹1,020 Each

Antfin (Netherlands) Holding BV, the overseas investment vehicle of Ant Financial, sold 3.73 crore equity shares, representing 5.84% of One97 Communications’ equity. The shares were sold at a floor price of ₹1,020, translating to a deal size of approximately ₹3,803 crore (USD 434 million).

The sale was executed through both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) as a clean-up trade. There were no lock-in restrictions, making it a free-floating transaction.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma Continues to Hold Largest Stake at 19.31%; SAIF Partners Holds 15.34%

Following Ant’s exit, Vijay Shekhar Sharma and his family, via Resilient Asset Management BV, remain the largest shareholder with a 19.31% stake in One97 Communications.

SAIF Partners, through two Hong Kong-based entities, holds a 15.34% stake as of June 2025.

Ant Financial had previously sold a 4% stake in May 2025, amounting to 2.55 crore shares for ₹2,103 crore, indicating a phased exit strategy.

Transaction Was Fully Secondary; Goldman Sachs and Citi Acted as Placement Agents

The ₹3,803 crore deal was entirely secondary, meaning no fresh equity was issued and no proceeds were received by Paytm. The entire amount went to the selling shareholder, Ant Financial.

Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Pvt Ltd and Citigroup Global Markets India Pvt Ltd served as placement agents for the transaction, facilitating institutional interest and market execution.

Ant Group Ends USD 851 Million Investment in Paytm That Began in 2015

Ant Financial and Alibaba had jointly invested USD 851 million in Paytm over the last decade, emerging as one of the earliest and most prominent foreign backers of the Indian fintech ecosystem.

The final exit comes four years after Paytm’s stock market debut in November 2021, and reflects a strategic shift in Ant Group’s global investment approach amid changing regulatory and market dynamics.

Ant Group: Global Fintech Giant Behind Alipay

Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba Group, is a Chinese fintech company best known for operating Alipay, one of the world’s largest digital payment platforms. It offers services in payments, lending, insurance, and wealth management, and has invested in fintech firms globally. Founded by Jack Ma, the group has played a key role in expanding digital finance across Asia and was an early investor in Paytm.

Paytm (One97 Communications Ltd): India’s Digital Payments Pioneer

Paytm, owned by One97 Communications Ltd, is one of India’s leading digital payments and financial services platforms. Founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, it provides services such as UPI payments, mobile recharges, merchant QR solutions, loans, and wealth management. Listed on the NSE and BSE, Paytm has grown into a fintech leader supporting India’s cashless economy, with a market capitalisation of ₹67,230 crore as of August 2025.

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