Funding & M&A

India secures 3rd position globally in funding raised for FinTech in Q1 2024

The Indian economy exhibited a robust performance in the previous quarter, with a growth rate of 8.4%. According to the IMF report, India will become the third-largest economy in the world by 2027, with a GDP of over US$5 trillion. The government of India remains steadfast in its commitment to bolstering the technological ecosystem within the country. Since the inception of the Startup India Initiative in 2016, various schemes and initiatives have been introduced to foster the growth of India’s startup landscape.

And the results are in.

According to Tracxn’s Geo Quarterly India FinTech Report- Q1 2024, India secured the third position globally in terms of funding raised for the FinTech sector in Q1 2024. Q1 2024 witnessed a total funding of $551 million, marking a notable increase of 59% compared to the $346 million raised in the previous quarter (Q4 2023). However, it reflected a 57% decline compared to the $1.3 billion raised in Q1 2023.

Q1 2024 witnessed a significant 75% drop in seed-stage funding, which was at $9.9 million compared to $39.2 million in the previous quarter. Early-stage funding saw a 35% drop from $227M raised in Q4 2023 to $147 million in Q1 2024. Only late-stage funding rounds witnessed a phenomenal rise of 392% to $394 million, compared to $80.1 million in Q4 2023.

Specific segments in the sector witnessed significant growth with Alternative Lending, RegTech, and Banking Tech emerging as top performers in Q1 2024. Alternative Lending accounted for almost 89% of the total funding, clocking a remarkable growth of 290% compared to the $126 million raised in Q4-2023, reaching $491 million in funding.

RegTech, the second-highest funded sector, received funding of $107 million. Banking Tech, the third-highest funded sector, received funding of $85.8 million in Q1 2024, which is a growth of 187% compared to the $29.9 million in funding witnessed in Q4 2023, benefiting substantially from record-breaking UPI transactions and digital banking’s widespread adoption due to rising internet and mobile device penetration in cities and rural areas.

The sustained investor interest emphasizes the importance of nurturing startups and R&D, aligning with the Startup India Initiative. This surge reflects the industry’s dynamism and innovation, positioning India as a leading global FinTech player
Neha Singh, Co-Founder Tracxn

Neha Singh, Co-Founder Tracxn, said, “The sustained investor interest emphasizes the importance of nurturing startups and R&D, aligning with the Startup India Initiative. This surge reflects the industry’s dynamism and innovation, positioning India as a leading global FinTech player.”

The quarter saw four acquisitions, a 43% drop from seven acquisitions in Q4 2023. A notable acquisition was Difenz, a fraud risk management platform that was acquired by Signzy for $5 million. Two companies, Medi Assist and IBL Finance, went public in Q1 2024.

Bengaluru emerged as the leader in total fintech funding raised during Q1 2024, followed closely by Mumbai and Hyderabad, reaffirming the significance of these cities as fintech hubs in India’s startup landscape.

Peak XV Partners, Y Combinator, and LetsVenture are the all-time top investors in the space. Saison Capital, Hem Angels, and Capital A led the seed investments in Q1 2024, while Peak XV Partners, RTP Global, and Asha were prominent in early-stage investments. Elev8, Epiq Capital Advisors, and UC-RNT Fund are the leading investors actively involved in late-stage in Q1 2024.

Navanwita Bora Sachdev

Navanwita is the editor of The Tech Panda who also frequently publishes stories in news outlets such as The Indian Express, Entrepreneur India, and The Business Standard