Meta is reportedly in discussions to invest in Indian fintech company Cred, in a move that could strengthen the tech giant’s position in the country’s rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem, as per a Moneycontrol report.
According to people familiar with the matter, Meta has been evaluating a potential investment in Cred that would value the Bengaluru-based startup at around $4 billion. While the valuation would represent an improvement from Cred’s reported $3.5 billion mark-down valuation in 2025, it remains well below the $6.4 billion valuation the company achieved during its peak fundraising phase in 2022.
It is indicated that Meta’s interest extends beyond a simple financial investment. The company has reportedly explored several possibilities, including injecting fresh primary capital into Cred, pursuing a full acquisition at a lower valuation, and even considering a broader leadership role for Cred founder Kunal Shah within the organisation.
Neither Meta nor Cred has publicly commented on the reported discussions.
The talks come as Meta continues to search for ways to expand its influence in India’s digital payments market. While the company already operates WhatsApp Pay, its share of the country’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ecosystem remains relatively small.
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If a deal were to materialise, Meta could integrate Cred’s financial products and payments infrastructure with its existing platforms. Facebook and Instagram could drive customer discovery, WhatsApp could support commerce transactions, and Cred could handle payment services, creating a more integrated ecosystem.
India’s UPI network remains one of the largest real-time payment systems in the world, processing billions of transactions every month. However, the market continues to be dominated by PhonePe and Google Pay, which together account for the majority of transaction volume. Other players, including WhatsApp Pay, Amazon Pay and Cred, have struggled to gain significant market share despite sustained investments.
Founded by entrepreneur Kunal Shah in 2018, Cred has built its business around affluent and creditworthy consumers, offering rewards, bill payments, lending products and financial services through a membership-based platform.
The company has shown signs of improving financial performance in recent years. For FY25, Cred reported revenue growth and a significant reduction in operating losses as it expanded monetisation across its product portfolio. The company also reported growth in monthly transacting users and higher transaction volumes across its platform.
A key strength for Cred has been customer engagement. The company says a growing share of users now engage with multiple products, helping drive higher revenue per customer and improving overall economics.
For Meta, a deal with Cred would represent another notable bet on India’s startup ecosystem. The company has previously backed ventures such as Meesho and Unacademy, and an investment in Cred would further signal its long-term commitment to India’s digital economy.
However discussions are ongoing and no final agreement has been announced.
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