*As far as I can see, 2025 is a special year for the small fiance banking industry.* Because this is the year when the landscape truly levels up. Think this way! .. *Last year, AU Small Finance Bank became the first such bank to become eligible to apply for a universal banking licence from the RBI.* So, apply, it did. And 2025 is the year when we will get to see how RBI rules on this. If all goes well, India could get one more full-fledged bank! .. *And that apart, yday, the board of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank’s board also cleared the proposal to apply to the RBI.* Thus, within days to come, it’s set to apply for RBI’s nod. And thus, we could actually get two new banks this year! .. *But it doesn’t end there.* Because Jana Small Finance Bank has also become eligible to apply for RBI’s nod. And the company’s management has publicly stated that it plans to apply for RBI’s nod before FY25 ends (within 70 days). .. *All of this marks a big event for the journey, which started off in 2016.* That is when the concept of Small Finance Banks came alive for the first time. The outcome of the aforementioned three applications will pave the way for many more to follow in the years ahead. And thus, my assertion that this is the year when this landscape levels up :) .. *Support my work:* https://t.ly/SUPPORTjay *Check my work with:* - 3.1k+ on Decoding The Dragon (https://t.ly/chnwj) - 2.7k+ on Deepdives with Jay (https://t.ly/dwj) - 2.2k+ on BharatNama (https://t.ly/bwj) Best, Jayant Shilanjan Mundhra