India’s digital payment market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing smartphone usage, internet penetration, and government initiatives like Digital India and the introduction of UPI (Unified Payments Interface). With a large, tech-savvy population, the market has immense growth potential, especially in rural areas where digital adoption is gaining momentum.
The rise of e-commerce, mobile wallets, and contactless payments has further fueled the sector’s growth. India is expected to see continued innovation in payment technologies, including AI, blockchain, and biometric authentication. The digital payment ecosystem is poised for significant growth, with both government and private sectors investing heavily to enhance infrastructure and security.
Intensifying Competition in India’s UPI Payments Market: Investment Opportunities
With the listing of MobiKwik today, alongside Paytm, the competition in India’s UPI payments app market is intensifying. Both companies are vying for a larger share of the growing digital payments ecosystem, driven by India’s increasing smartphone penetration and government-backed initiatives like UPI.
MobiKwik‘s IPO and Paytm’s existing market presence create a dynamic landscape for investors. The sector shows immense growth potential, with digital payments expected to continue expanding. Investors can explore opportunities in this segment by evaluating the financials, market position, and growth strategies of these companies, considering the long-term trend toward cashless transactions and financial inclusion.
Financial Outlook
Sales Growth
MobiKwik achieved a 62% sales growth in 2024, reaching ₹875 crore, up from ₹539 crore in 2023. In comparison, Paytm’s sales grew by 25%, from ₹7,990 crore to ₹9,978 crore in the same period.
Operating Profit
MobiKwik turned an operating loss of ₹78 crore in 2023 into a profit of ₹22 crore in 2024. On the other hand, Paytm’s operating loss reduced from ₹1,644 crore in 2023 to ₹943 crore in 2024, reflecting progress.
Operating Profit Margin
MobiKwik’s operating profit margin improved from -14% in 2023 to 3% in 2024, demonstrating strong cost control. Paytm, however, improved its margin from -21% to -9%, indicating a slower but consistent move toward operational efficiency.
Net Profit
MobiKwik generated a net profit of ₹14 crore in 2024, reversing the ₹84 crore loss in 2023. Paytm’s net loss narrowed from ₹1,776 crore in 2023 to ₹1,422 crore in 2024, reflecting incremental improvement.
Share Price
The shares of Paytm are currently trading at Rs. 997 down by 1.17% from its previous close of Rs. 1,009 as of December 19, 2024. The shares of Mobikwi Ltd are currently trading at Rs. 514 as of 9:43 am.
Future Outlook
Mobikwik
MobiKwik’s business outlook is highly promising as it achieved profitability at both EBITDA and PAT levels in a quarter, a feat unmatched by its peers. The company added 10-15 million new users, contributing to greater consumer and merchant acceptance, which in turn enhances its payment ecosystem. MobiKwik aims to maintain its historical growth rate and expand its user base, driving further success in digital payments.
The company plans to utilize IPO funds for product development, data analytics, machine learning, and AI integration. The growth in payment data enables broader consumer credit underwriting, facilitating increased consumer spending. Additionally, MobiKwik’s use of personal financial management tools like Lens allows for personalized investment recommendations, enhancing its offerings and positioning it as a leader in the digital financial ecosystem.
Paytm
Paytm’s future expansion plans are centered on diversifying and scaling its financial services. The company has seen strong momentum in its ticketing, deals, and gift voucher segments, with a GMV of ₹2,383 crore, and continues to expand its credit card distribution, reaching 13.8 lakh activated cards by September 2024. Paytm aims to further monetize its large customer base by cross-selling financial services. The company is also leveraging the Default Loss Guarantee (DLG) model to enhance loan distribution and expand partnerships with lenders while focusing on maintaining better asset quality.
Furthermore, Paytm plans to innovate in insurance broking, improving product distribution and claims experiences for both merchants and consumers. It is also increasing its distribution of mutual funds, particularly SIPs, and other wealth management products. These initiatives will position Paytm to tap into growing financial inclusion, providing a broader range of services and strengthening its position in the digital financial ecosystem.
Ratios and Key metrics
MobiKwik has a Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio of 154, with a market cap of ₹2,167 crore, reflecting a positive Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) of 8.96% and a Debt to Equity ratio of 1.38. In comparison, Paytm, being loss-making, has no PE ratio and a significantly larger market cap of
₹63,933 crore. However, Paytm’s ROCE stands at -8.50%, and its Debt-to-equity ratio is also -8.50%, indicating higher financial risks and challenges in achieving profitability.
Conclusion
The digital payment landscape in India is rapidly evolving, with Paytm and MobiKwik emerging as key players in a competitive market. While MobiKwik has achieved profitability and shown impressive growth, Paytm maintains a larger market presence with diverse financial services. Both companies are strategically positioning themselves to capitalize on India’s growing digital payments ecosystem, focusing on technological innovation, expanding user bases, and developing comprehensive financial service offerings that cater to the country’s increasing digital adoption.
Written By: Dipangshu Kundu
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