Antfin Fully Exits Paytm with ₹15,700 Cr Loss

In a significant development, Antfin (Netherlands) Holding B.V. an Alibaba Group affiliate has completely exited its investment in One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, by offloading its remaining 5.84% stake through multiple block deals on August 5.

Major Exit with Major Losses

Antfin had invested approximately ₹33,600 crore in Paytm over the years, acquiring a 27.9% stake (183.3 million shares) at an average price of ₹1,833.3 per share, according to Paytm’s Red Herring Prospectus.

 However, the Chinese investor’s exit is estimated to have fetched only around ₹4,000 crore (just over $450 million) from the remaining stake bringing its total recovery to roughly ₹17,838 crore.

This indicates a staggering loss of nearly ₹15,765 crore, or around $2 billion making Antfin's exit one of the most significant value erosions by a foreign investor in India’s tech space, as per CNBC TV18 report.

Not the First High-Profile Exit in Paytm

Antfin isn't alone in exiting Paytm with losses. Warren Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway also exited Paytm in November 2023, selling its entire stake after five years and incurring a loss of nearly ₹600 crore, the report added.

Paytm’s Market Journey

Despite launching one of India’s largest IPOs worth ₹18,300 crore, Paytm's stock performance has been underwhelming. Even after rebounding nearly 3.5x from its all-time lows, the stock still trades more than 50% below its IPO price of ₹2,150.

Paytm Share Price Performance

One 97 Communications Ltd (Paytm) shares traded lower, reflecting pressure following major institutional exits. The stock opened at ₹1,067.60 and touched an intraday high of ₹1,087.00 before slipping to a low of ₹1,050.00.

As of 1:46 PM, it was trading at ₹1,057.60, down 1.91% or ₹20.60 from the previous close of ₹1,078.20.

Read More: LIC Shuffles ₹25,000 Crore in Stocks: Buys More of Reliance, TCS, Defence; Exits HDFC Bank, ICICI.

Conclusion

Antfin’s complete exit from Paytm marks a notable shift in the company’s investor base and reflects the evolving sentiment toward India’s tech startups.

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