Alibaba-Backed Antfin Exits Paytm, Clocking Close To $2 Billion In Loss

The Alibaba backed Chinese entity Antfin (Netherlands) Holding B.V. has existed Paytm's parent firm One97 Communications via several block deals to sell its remaining 5.84 per cent stake on Wednesday, August 5.

The offloading might have garnered close to Rs 4,000 crore for Antfin. Meanwhile, the exit move by this fintech major occured at a loss of Rs 15,700 crore or USD 2 billion.

The company's orginial investment was nearly Rs 33,600 crore in the digital payment service provider, aquiring 27.9 per cent stake. The shares were acquired at an average cost of Rs 1,833.3 apiece, as per Paytm's Red Herring Prospectus (RHP), citing media reports.

Accumulating all the proceeds across the years, the total comes up to Rs 17,838 crore, which implies a loss of Rs 15,765 crore on its initial investment.

Also Read: Russia Stares Back At Donald Trump, Stands By BRICS Partner India

Antfin's Stake Sale Timeline In Paytm:

November 2021: 21.88 million shares sold as part of its IPO or Rs 4,704 crore through the offer-for-sale (OFS) route.

June-September 2023: Pared stake from 23.7 per to 9.9 per cent through open market transactions and a key stake sale to Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. It received Rs 7,230 crore proceeds from this sale.

May 2025: Antfin offloaded 4 per cent stake in the fintech major at Rs 824.6 apiece, raising Rs 2,103 crore and bringing its holding down to 5.84 per cent.

August 2025: Sold the remaining 5.84 per cent stake at Rs 1,067.5, and garnered close to Rs 4,000 crore.

Antfin's exit marks another major institution to exit Paytm with a loss. The Chinese firm followed suit after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway had sold its entire Paytm stake in November 2023, at a loss of nearly Rs 600 crore, after holding stock for five years.