Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma is not selling his personal shares in the company, addressing rumors about the sale of a 4.98% stake in One97 Communications Ltd, Paytm's parent firm. The stake is being sold by Resilient Asset Management BV, an investment vehicle separate from Sharma. The economic gains from this transaction will go to Antfin, a Chinese affiliate of Ant Group, under an existing financial arrangement with Resilient. The sale is executed through a block market trade tied to an optionally convertible debenture agreement between Resilient and Antfin.
Since the proceeds are directed to Antfin, Sharma does not benefit financially from the sale. His direct ownership of about 9% in Paytm remains unchanged. Paytm also stated that it is not involved in the proposed sale, and there will be no changes to Sharma’s direct shareholding. This transaction does not signal an exit by Sharma or a reduction of his stake. Instead, it reflects complex financial arrangements among Paytm's stakeholders, enabling Antfin to realise economic value without Sharma selling his shares.
