BharatPe solved a real problem — Indian shopkeepers needed one QR code instead of five. The product was genuinely innovative. Then co-founder Ashneer Grover became famous on Shark Tank India, was accused of misappropriating company funds, got caught on audio screaming obscenities at a bank employee, and was removed. Litigation between Grover, the company and fellow founder Bhavik Koladiya ran for years afterwards. BharatPe survived it, turned EBITDA positive in October 2024, owns 49% of Unity Small Finance Bank, and is now aiming at an IPO. The technology worked. The corporate governance did not. It is the most Bollywood startup story in Indian fintech.
Founded
2018
HQ
New Delhi, India
Total Raised
$700 million
Founder
Bhavik Koladiya, Shashvat Nakrani, Ashneer Grover
Status
Private — EBITDA positive since Oct 2024, IPO planned
Verified Sep 2026
Website
bharatpe.comTHE ORIGIN STORY
BharatPe was incorporated in March 2018 by Bhavik Koladiya and Shashvat Nakrani to solve a real problem: Indian shopkeepers needed a separate QR code for each payment app. BharatPe created one interoperable QR code that worked with every UPI app.
It was a genuine innovation. Ashneer Grover joined as the third co-founder and managing director in June 2018 and became the public face of the company.
It grew rapidly, signing millions of merchants. Then Grover became a celebrity judge on Shark Tank India.
Then everything exploded.
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
BharatPe provides payment solutions for small merchants in India — primarily through interoperable QR codes that accept all UPI payment apps (PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm) through a single code. Revenue comes from lending (merchant loans based on transaction data), payment processing, and BharatPe's digital lending platform.
The company also launched the 12% Club for peer-to-peer lending.
THE PRODUCTS
BharatPe QR Code (interoperable payment acceptance), BharatPe Lending (merchant loans), BharatPe POS (point of sale terminals), Invest BharatPe (investment platform launched 2024). The 12% Club peer-to-peer lending product was wound down after the RBI tightened P2P rules.
HOW THEY GREW
Build a financial services ecosystem on top of its merchant network. BharatPe has merchant transaction data for millions of small businesses — data that can be used for underwriting loans.
The strategy: own the merchant relationship, then cross-sell lending and other products. Its 49% stake in Unity Small Finance Bank, whose revenue grew 74% in FY25, is the other half of the plan, and the parent company has explored selling part of that stake to fund the core business ahead of an IPO.
THE HARD PART
The Ashneer Grover scandal. In early 2022, leaked audio of Grover verbally abusing a Kotak Mahindra Bank employee went viral.
An independent investigation alleged financial misappropriation by Grover and his wife. Grover was removed from the company.
Lawsuits flew in every direction, including a 2023 suit by co-founder Bhavik Koladiya against Grover over shares. The drama dominated Indian business media for years.
Beyond the scandal, BharatPe faces intense competition from PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm in the UPI space.
MONEY TRAIL
Seed
2018 · Led by
$2M raised
Series C
2020 · Led by
$75M raised
Series E
2021 · Led by
$370.0B raised
WHO BACKED THEM
Sequoia Capital India, Tiger Global, Coatue Management, Dragonfly Fund, Insight Partners
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