The Head and Tale [Fintech]

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/2/2025, 9:46:18 AM

Following the recent resignation of CTO Pankaj Goel (whose last day is next week), BharatPe has internally announced that Chief Product Officer Rohan Khara will take on additional responsibilities as head of technology. The Head and Tale #Exclusive https://theheadandtale.com/to-the-point/exclusive-bharatpe-chief-product-officer-rohan-khara-assumes-additional-charge-as-cto/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

5/30/2025, 3:45:27 AM

After years of resisting government intervention, the Reserve Bank of India has finally conceded ground. With the creation of the Payments Regulatory Board (PRB), the government now has formal representation in the regulation of India’s digital payments ecosystem—a move many in the industry say reshapes the power dynamic between Delhi and Mint Street. Fintechs see it as a long-awaited win. NPCI may no longer be the uncontested king. From crypto bans to zero-MDR, from Paytm’s regulatory fallout to NUE’s possible comeback, this story digs into what the PRB could mean for the future of Indian fintech. Only *@theheadandtale* https://theheadandtale.com/to-the-point/rbi-vs-government--the-battle-over-india-s-digital-payments-ecosystem-explained/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/6/2025, 6:21:41 AM

Top Fintech Highlights by *The Head and Tale* Walmart-owned Flipkart gets NBFC licence from the Reserve Bank of India https://theheadandtale.com/news/walmart-owned-flipkart-gets-nbfc-licence-from-the-reserve-bank-of-india/ API infra firm Decentro raises Rs 30 crore in Series B led by Info Edge https://theheadandtale.com/news/api-infra-firm-decentro-raises-rs-30-crore-in-series-b-led-by-info-edge/ Wealth-tech platform Syfe raises $80 million in Series C round https://theheadandtale.com/news/wealth-tech-platform-syfe-raises-80-million-in-series-c-round/ LoanTap raises Rs 74 crore to double down on supply chain financing https://theheadandtale.com/news/msme-lender-loantap-raises-rs-74-crore-to-double-down-on-supply-chain-financing/ Agri loan startup Arya.ag appoints ex-Indifi exec as group CFO https://theheadandtale.com/news/agri-loan-startup-arya-ag-appoints-ex-indifi-exec-as-group-cfo-/ BharatPe appoints ex-Coca Cola exec to drive sales strategies https://theheadandtale.com/news/bharatpe-appoints-ex-coca-cola-exec-to-drive-sales-strategies/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/2/2025, 11:57:53 AM

*Inside BharatPe’s Quiet Tech Reboot Before IPO* As BharatPe races toward its planned 2026 IPO, the pressure inside its engineering org has reached a boiling point. Over the last five months, the Delhi-based fintech has seen a wave of internal restructuring, key exits, and a mounting sense of urgency—all quietly unfolding behind the scenes. The sudden resignation of CTO Pankaj Goel last month wasn’t just a blip. It marked the culmination of a systematic shake-up, with CEO Nalin Negi tightening performance metrics and giving CXOs quarterly milestone targets. And the story isn't just about engineering. The payments unit is scaling rapidly with a UPI backend play, while CAC pressure is mounting across products. In this subscriber-only deep dive, we unpack exclusive details from insiders on who’s rising, who’s on their way out, and how BharatPe is building its product, payments, and people strategies to get IPO-ready. Read the full story → (*subscriber access only*) https://theheadandtale.com/deep-tales/inside-bharatpe-tech-overhaul-as-it-preps-for-2026-ipo/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

5/24/2025, 9:01:38 AM

*Introducing: Money Trivia – A Visual Journey into the Past, Present & Future of Currency* While The Head and Tale brings you deep-dive reportage and analysis on the fintech ecosystem, Money Trivia is a visual-led series designed to be a data mine of money history, rare currency trivia, global comparisons, and forgotten facts that shaped how we transact today. Whether you're a fintech professional, researcher, or curious reader — this series aims to surprise, inform, and inspire. In our first edition of the Money Trivia series, we trace the fascinating evolution of money in India. https://theheadandtale.com/money-trivia/money-trivia-1-from-cowrie-to-code-a-timeline-of-money-in-india/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/5/2025, 5:26:12 AM

https://theheadandtale.com/to-the-point/exclusive-former-payu-cbo-sudhir-sehgal-joining-paytm-say-sources/ Exclusive: Former PayU CBO Sudhir Sehgal joining Paytm, say sources

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/12/2025, 6:32:56 AM

Today, *The Head and Tale* brings you a gripping, behind-the-curtain story of India’s 100th unicorn—Open. Once the poster child of India’s neobank dream, Open was hailed by ministers, blessed by investors, and crowned with a billion-dollar tag. But what happened after the media frenzy faded? Behind the scenes: top bank partnerships collapsed, a high-stakes lending venture went off the rails, employees were quietly shown the door, and insiders speak of a culture steeped in cliques and confusion. For the first time, over a dozen former employees and industry voices reveal how a celebrated fintech spiraled from unicorn glory to internal disarray. The promises were bold. The reality? Far more chaotic. Only @theheadandtale https://theheadandtale.com/deep-tales/open-but-not-transparent-inside-the-cracks-at-india-s-100th-unicorn/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

6/11/2025, 9:04:04 AM

Top Fintech Highlights by *The Head and Tale* Cred raises $72 million led by GIC in a downround https://theheadandtale.com/news/cred-raises-72-million-led-by-gic/ *MoneyTrivia*: 2000 Years of Banking: How India Pioneered Financial Systems https://theheadandtale.com/money-trivia/2000-years-of-banking-how-india-pioneered-financial-systems/ Pine Labs set to file DRHP for IPO by June-end https://theheadandtale.com/news/pine-labs-set-to-file-drhp-for-ipo-by-june-end/ Flexiloans bags $44 mln in Series C round https://theheadandtale.com/news/flexiloans-bags-44-million-in-series-c-round/ Uni Cards spun off entity PowerUp raises money from Accel, Blume https://theheadandtale.com/news/uni-cards-spun-off-entity-powerup-raises-money-from-accel-blume/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

5/29/2025, 11:31:57 AM

The payment aggregator -- which took advantage of new government rules easing the reverse-flip process -- is estimated to have incurred around $400 million in tax outgo during the transition. A source aware of the details told The Head and Tale recently. https://theheadandtale.com/to-the-point/razorpay-completes-reverse-flip-tax-cost-may-be-as-high-as-400-million/

The Head and Tale [Fintech]

5/23/2025, 4:10:44 AM

Today, The Head and Tale has brought in a sharp new story on a Temasek- and Google-backed DotPe that scaled a new vertical in months — only to pull the plug just as quickly. From sky-high targets and London trips to mass layoffs and silence from the top, this deep dive unpacks what really went down. https://theheadandtale.com/deep-tales/what-led-google-backed-dotpe-to-shut-down-its-lending-unit/