One 97 Communications, the parent entity of fintech giant Paytm, has approved a fresh grant of 1,23,908 stock options to eligible employees under its ESOP Scheme 2019. The move, disclosed in a recent stock exchange filing, reflects the company’s continued focus on talent retention and employee ownership.
Based on Paytm’s last traded share price of ₹1,340, the newly granted options carry a combined market value of approximately ₹16.6 crore.
Regulatory Milestone: Full-Spectrum Payment Aggregation
The ESOP announcement follows a major regulatory breakthrough for the company’s subsidiary, Paytm Payments Services Limited (PPSL). Last month, PPSL received formal authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator for:
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Physical/Offline Payments: Powering in-store merchant transactions.
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Cross-Border Transactions: Facilitating international trade and payments.
With this latest approval, PPSL now holds a comprehensive suite of licenses covering online, offline, and cross-border segments. This enables the company to offer a unified payment ecosystem for merchants across diverse use cases.
Q2 FY26 Financial Snapshot: Revenue Climbs, Profits Dip
Paytm’s latest financial report for Q2 FY26 showcases a period of strong top-line growth tempered by unique bottom-line challenges.
| Metric | Q2 FY26 | Q2 FY25 (Year-ago) | Change |
| Revenue from Operations | ₹2,061 Crore | ₹1,659 Crore | +24% |
| Net Profit | ₹21 Crore | ₹930 Crore | -97.7% |
Why the profit drop?
The sharp decline in net profit is primarily attributed to two factors:
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High Base Effect: The previous year (Q2 FY25) included a significant one-time gain that was absent this quarter.
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Impairment Loss: The company recorded an impairment loss in the latest quarter, further impacting the bottom line.
By: Vanshika Tayal
