Cred and founder Kunal Shah are investing ₹550 crore ($63 million) in Newtap Finance to grow its unsecured loan portfolio. Newtap’s loan book doubled to ₹1,142 crore by Dec 2024, with higher NPAs than Cred’s. Cred’s AUM stands at ₹19,000 crore with a 1.1% NPA. Cred aims to diversify into secured loans and expects to achieve profitability by FY26.
Cashfree Payments raised $53 million in Series C funding led by Krafton, valuing the company at $700 million. The fintech, focusing on payments, cross-border transactions, and security innovations, plans to expand in the Middle East and hit ₹1,000 crore revenue in FY25.
SEBI introduced new rules requiring brokers to obtain exchange approvals for each algorithm used in retail algo trading. Algo trades must have unique identifiers for tracking, and high-frequency algos by retail investors must be registered. The move aims to enhance safety amid growing algo trading demand.
SEBI is reviewing recent research analyst norms after concerns about increased compliance costs and fee restrictions led to closures of several small analyst firms. Analysts highlighted issues like quarterly fee limits and stringent KYC requirements, urging SEBI to relax rules to maintain business viability. Changes may be considered in the next board meeting.
Budget 2025’s tax relief measures, including raising the income tax exemption to ₹12 lakh and increasing the TDS threshold for fixed deposits, are expected to drive ₹40,000-45,000 crore in additional bank deposits in FY26. This will enhance liquidity and support bank lending. Senior citizens are projected to contribute ₹15,000 crore due to TDS relaxation.
Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey emphasized the need for fiscal and monetary policies to work together to sustain economic growth. Following significant fiscal measures in Budget 2025-26, he hopes the RBI will adjust monetary policy to avoid inflation spikes and ensure balanced growth. He noted that food inflation, driven by structural agricultural issues, remains a key concern, though global oil prices are expected to stay stable.
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