A landmark investment to create one of India’s largest and most trusted digital financial platforms
New Delhi, February 23, 2026: Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today announced major plans for its Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Airtel Money Limited, underscoring its commitment to narrow the credit gap in India.
The NBFC subsidiary will be capitalised with Rs 20,000 crore to be injected over the next few years. Airtel will contribute 70% with the promoter group via Bharti Enterprises Limited, bringing in the balance 30%.
With strong digital assets, a large data and analytics engine powered by 500+ data scientists, and deep operational expertise, Airtel aims to rapidly expand access to simple, secure, and innovative digital financial services across India.
Airtel has built a high‑performance credit engine over the last two years, powered by its digital platform and deeply integrated channels, resulting in one of India’s strongest lending service provider (LSP) models.
The platform has already achieved hyperscale adoption with over ₹9,000 crore in disbursements - supported by best‑in‑class delinquency outcomes, driven by robust underwriting models, disciplined portfolio management, and real‑time risk monitoring.
“The success of our LSP platform over the past two years is proof of our ability to combine technology, data, and customer trust to deliver impact at a national scale. We have built one of India’s most trusted and scalable digital credit engines—reaching millions with high‑quality credit supported by industry‑best performance metrics,” said Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel. “Our NBFC expansion strengthens this foundation and reflects our ambition to build a differentiated, future‑ready digital lending business - one that stands for trust, innovation, and financial inclusion.”
Airtel Money received its NBFC license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on February 13, 2026.
This strategic expansion in India’s fast-growing financial services sector underscores Airtel’s commitment to deepening financial inclusion and empowering underserved consumers. Formal credit to GDP ratio in India is at 53%, according to Care Edge Ratings, and highlights the scope for lending in the country.
The expansion is also a natural adjacency that will leverage the large Airtel customer base to build the next growth engine for the company and further diversify its portfolio.
The disbursement journey of the NBFC will be seamlessly integrated with the LSP platform, while maintaining clear operational segregation between the two, giving the customer best-in-class experience. By combining technology, data, and customer understanding at scale, Airtel aims to set a new benchmark for digital financial services in India.
The company is also submitting the following disclaimer/statement, as advised by the RBI to Airtel Money Limited, while granting the Certificate:
“The Company is having a valid Certificate of Registration dated 13/02/2026 issued by Reserve Bank of India under section 45 IA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. However, the Reserve Bank of India does not accept any responsibility or guarantee about the present position as to the financial soundness of the company or for the correctness of any of the statements or representations made or opinions expressed by the company and for the repayment of deposits/discharge of liabilities by the company.”
About Bharti Airtel:
Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa. The company also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile, Wi-Fi (FTTH+ FWA) that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, video streaming services, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, and cloud-based communication. Airtel’s digital arm – Xtelify, empowers telcos globally to leverage the power of AI, data and technology to accelerate their digital transformation and drive growth. Xtelify also offers Airtel Cloud in India enabling enterprises with a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform that guarantees secure migration, effortless scaling, lower costs and no vendor lock-ins. Within its diversified portfolio, Airtel also offers passive infrastructure services through its subsidiary Indus Tower Ltd. For more details visit www.airtel.com