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Cashfree Payments
Company typePrivate company
ISININE0MXK01016
IndustryFintech
Founded2015
FounderAkash Sinha and Reeju Datta
HeadquartersBengaluru, India
Number of employees
800[1]
Websitewww.cashfree.com

Cashfree (also known as Cashfree Payments) is an Indian payment service provider. It provides payment solutions via APIs for platform businesses like crowdfunding portals, online marketplaces, and small business software companies. Additionally, it offers fraud and risk protection through bank account verification.[2]

History

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Cashfree Payments, founded in 2015 by Akash Sinha and Reeju Datta, initially focused on creating a payments solution for offline restaurants in the city of Bangalore.[3]

In 2016, the company pivoted to become a broader payment solutions provider, developing an API-based payments platform that enabled businesses to accept payments and make bulk payouts efficiently.[4] By 2017, it expanded further by launching a payout product, allowing businesses to disburse bulk payments to vendors and customers.[5]

In December 2023, India's Reserve Bank of India (RBI) awarded payment aggregator license to the company[6] and in July 2024, it became the first non-bank to receive the cross-border payment aggregator export and import license in India.[7][8] In October 2024, Cashfree Payments received certification from the National Payments Corporation of India for its Unified Payments Interface switch service,[9] and in the same month, it was granted a prepaid payment instrument license by the RBI.[10][11]

Funding

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The company has investors including Silicon Valley's Y Combinator, Apis Partners, and the State Bank of India.[12][13]

Financials

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In FY 2022-23, Cashfree Payments' operating revenue increased to ₹613.8 crore (US$74 million) from ₹349.9 crore (US$42 million) the previous year, while its net loss grew to ₹133.1 crore (US$16 million) from ₹2.9 crore (US$350,000) ₹2.9 crore. Total revenue grew to ₹616.9 crore (US$74 million) crore, driven by commission income and merchant setup fees, but expenses more than doubled to ₹750 crore (US$90 million), largely due to employee benefit costs.[4]

Controversies

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  • In September 2022, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the company's premises in Bangalore, along with Easebuzz, Razorpay, and Paytm, investigating alleged irregularities in the operations of instant app-based loan providers supposedly 'controlled' by Chinese-controlled entities and individuals.[14][15][16] The raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.[17] During the search, ₹1.28 crore (US$150,000) was discovered in the virtual accounts of entities associated with Cashfree.[18][19] Additionally, ₹33.36 crore (US$4.0 million) was found with Easebuzz in Pune; ₹8.21 crore (US$980,000) with Razorpay in Bengaluru; and ₹1.11 crore (US$130,000) with Paytm in New Delhi.[20]
  • In December 2022, the RBI banned Cashfree along with Razorpay, PayU and Paytm from onboarding new merchants.[21] This was due to concerns about their practices, though the exact reasons haven't been made public. After a year-long ban, Cashfree announced the lifting of the restriction, citing enhancements in their operational processes.[22][23]

References

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  1. ^ Singh, Arti. "Cashfree targeting return to profitability by Q1FY25: CEO". Mint (newspaper). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  2. ^ Kawale, Ajinkya (21 March 2024). "Cashfree Payments launches product solution to cut fraudulent transactions". Business Standard. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. ^ Sarkar, Pooja (11 February 2021). "Akash Sinha: Banking On The Digital Wave". Forbes India. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Cashfree Payments' net loss widens to ₹133.1 cr in FY23". The Hindu Business Line. 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  5. ^ Behera, Nirmalya (6 November 2017). "Cashfree: Easing multiple bank transfers". Business Standard. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  6. ^ Kayastha, Anshika (2023-12-20). "After a year of waiting, RBI grants at least six payment aggregator licences". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  7. ^ "Approvals and Certificates of Authorisation issued by the Reserve Bank of India under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 for Setting up and Operating Payment System in India". Reserve Bank of India. 19 September 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ Pushkarna, Akshit (2024-07-22). "Cashfree Becomes First Entity To Get Cross Border PA Licence From RBI". Inc42 Media. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  9. ^ "Cashfree receives NPCI certification for its own UPI switch". The Economic Times. 2024-10-15. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  10. ^ Kawale, Ajinkya (29 October 2024). "Cashfree Payments gains regulatory approval to operate as a PPI provider". Business Standard. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Cashfree Payments receives prepaid payment instrument licence from RBI". The Economic Times. 2024-10-29. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  12. ^ Kannan, Uma (2024-04-30). "Payment aggregator essential for internet economy: Cashfree CEO". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  13. ^ "Payments startup Cashfree eyes fresh funding". The Financial Express. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  14. ^ "ED seizes ₹46.67 cr belonging to Paytm, Easebuzz, Razorpay and Cashfree under PMLA". The Hindu Business Line. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  15. ^ "Chinese loan apps probe: ED raids Paytm, Razorpay, Cashfree premises". The Indian Express. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  16. ^ Ahmed, Aftab; Vengattil, Munsif. Mallard, William (ed.). "India agency searches payment firms in Chinese lending probe". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  17. ^ "Chinese loan app PMLA case: ED raids Razorpay, Paytm, Cashfree in Bengaluru". Financialexpress. 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  18. ^ ANI (2022-09-16). "ED freezes RS 46 cr worth funds of Easebuzz, Razorpay, Cashfree, Paytm in Chinese loan app case". ThePrint. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  19. ^ PTI (2022-09-16). "Chinese loan apps: ED freezes Rs 46 cr worth funds in Paytm, Razorpay & two others". The News Minute. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  20. ^ "Chinese loan apps: ED freezes Rs 46 cr kept in payment gateway accounts". Business Standard. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  21. ^ Kayastha, Anshika (2022-12-16). "RBI asks RazorPay, Cashfree Payments to pause on-boarding new merchants". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  22. ^ Singh, Arti (19 December 2023). "RBI lifts ban on Razorpay, Cashfree; allows onboarding new merchants". Mint (newspaper). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  23. ^ Sinha, Vaishnawi (19 December 2023). "Ban on Razorpay, Cashfree lifted; RBI gives nod to onboard online payment merchants". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 3 October 2024.

Further reading

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