India marks national FinTech day with inclusion push

By Puja Sharma

As India marked National FinTech Day on August 20, 2025, industry leaders reflected on how the sector has moved from being a digital convenience for urban consumers to becoming a backbone of the nation’s economic and social fabric. Today, FinTech is not just about payments, it is about access, empowerment, and opportunity, reaching from big cities to the smallest towns and villages.

For Sanjay Tripathy, CEO & Co-founder of BRISKPE, the day is a reminder of how technology is reshaping the country’s economic future. “National FinTech Day is a reminder of how technology is transforming India’s economy and empowering MSMEs from big cities to small towns to compete globally. Digital platforms are breaking down barriers, helping small businesses access international markets and manage cross-border payments smoothly, even during uncertain times,” he said.

Tripathy pointed out that India’s record $824.9 billion in exports in FY 2024-25, powered by a surge in services, showcased the role of FinTech in unlocking global opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises. At the same time, the 65,000 crore digital transactions processed over the past year demonstrated how merchants, rural producers, and micro-enterprises are being folded into the formal digital economy. Looking ahead, he believes AI-driven compliance and smart payment systems will be central to making India’s trade and remittance ecosystem more inclusive and globally competitive.

If FinTech has opened doors for global commerce, it has also transformed the way everyday Indians save, borrow, insure, and transact. According to Anand Kumar Bajaj, Founder, MD & CEO of PayNearby, the sector has evolved into a nationwide enabler of participation. “FinTech in India has evolved from being a niche urban convenience to a nationwide enabler of economic participation. The sector is driving inclusion, innovation, and transparency, with homegrown solutions transforming how people save, borrow, insure, and transact,” he noted.

But Bajaj cautioned that technology alone cannot bridge the gap. Access, awareness, and trust at the grassroots remain critical. “As the country’s digital infrastructure deepens, the focus must remain on ensuring that underserved communities have equitable access to these tools, bridging gaps in trust, awareness, and reach,” he said.

For PayNearby, the vision of “Bharat-first” financial inclusion lies in its Distribution as a Service model, which empowers kirana shop owners, local retailers, and women entrepreneurs to deliver banking, credit, insurance, commerce, and other essential services at the last mile. Bajaj added: “On National FinTech Day, we reaffirm our commitment to building a future where every household can participate confidently and securely in the digital economy.”

The inclusion of women in this transformation is equally critical. Jayatri Dasgupta, CMO of PayNearby and Program Director of Digital Naari, underscored how FinTech is enabling agency and independence for women in rural and semi-urban India. “FinTech is redefining access to opportunity by breaking barriers of geography, literacy, and infrastructure. For women in rural and semi-urban Bharat, this access is not only about financial transactions but also about agency, independence, and the ability to contribute to household and community well-being,” she said.

Through Digital Naari, PayNearby equips women entrepreneurs to offer services ranging from banking and credit to healthcare, hygiene, and assisted eCommerce. This, Dasgupta noted, creates not just livelihoods but also trust in the formal economy. “On National FinTech Day, we celebrate the potential of FinTech to create inclusive growth, and we remain committed to ensuring that women are central to this journey,” she added.

As India celebrates National FinTech Day, the message from industry voices is clear: the country’s financial technology revolution is no longer confined to apps and urban wallets. It is about building resilience, unlocking exports, strengthening communities, and ensuring every individual, whether a small-town trader or a woman entrepreneur in rural Bharat, has a stake in the digital economy.