Prosus wants to back more platform- and marketplace-led businesses in India’s financial services sector after its $100 million investment in Navi, the Amsterdam-based technology investor’s India head Ashutosh Sharma said in an interview published on 3 November 2026.
The comments come days after the Competition Commission of India approved Prosus’s stake in Sachin Bansal-led Navi. The entirely primary deal, worth about ₹940 crore for an 8.5% stake, values Navi at more than ₹13,000 crore and is one of the first institutional capital infusions into the company.
Why Navi Filled a Gap in the Prosus Portfolio
Prosus already owns PayU outright and holds stakes in lenders such as Vastu Finance and Mintifi. Sharma said those are largely B2B payments and credit businesses, and that a consumer-facing fintech platform was the one big gap in a portfolio that already covers food delivery, quick commerce, mobility, travel, e-commerce and home services.
He said Navi stood out because it is a multiline business rather than a single-product company. Founded in 2018, Navi offers UPI payments, credit, insurance and stockbroking from one app.
- Revenue: Navi’s operating revenue rose 16.2% to ₹2,981.7 crore in FY26, according to Tracxn data cited by Mint.
- Losses: its consolidated net loss widened to ₹466 crore in FY26 from ₹126.4 crore in FY25.
- Lending book: Navi Finserv’s assets under management grew from ₹13,138 crore in FY26 to over ₹23,440 crore by mid-2026.
Platforms Over Single-Product Fintechs
Sharma said Prosus has a strong preference for platforms and marketplaces, the model it backs in Swiggy, Meesho, which is building its own lending arm, Rapido, Urban Company and Ixigo. The investor prefers to hold concentrated, long-term positions rather than spread capital thinly, even after portfolio companies list.
Its early bet on Rapido shows the approach. Prosus invested $180 million in 2022 at a $1.1 billion valuation, and recent share sales value the mobility platform at about $2.5 to 2.7 billion.
Several Portfolio Companies Are IPO-Ready
Rapido, Vastu Finance, PayU, which holds a final RBI payment aggregator licence, and Navi are among the late-stage companies in the Prosus India portfolio. Sharma said at least three or four companies are ready for public markets, but the timing is up to them and Prosus is putting no pressure on listings.
For India’s fintech sector, the signal matters. October was a weak month for startup funding, with no Indian startup raising $100 million or more, according to Entrackr. A large global investor saying it wants more consumer-fintech exposure points to continued appetite for scaled, multi-product platforms such as Navi, which earlier reported 14% revenue growth at Navi Finserv.
Key Takeaways
- Prosus plans more India financial services investments, with a focus on platform and marketplace models.
- Navi is its first consumer-facing fintech bet in India, alongside the B2B-focused PayU.
- Prosus says three or four of its India companies are ready to list.
Source: Mint, 3 November 2026.
