Sameer Nigam

Recent appearances

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  Sameer Nigam at GFF 2026 | 10 Years of Unlocking Progress For All

  October 16, 2026 · 📺 PhonePe

  What does it take to build a digital economy that works for everyone? In this full keynote session from the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026, PhonePe Founder & CEO Sameer Nigam reflects on a decade-long journey of moving beyond just payments to create a platform that truly empowers grassroots India. Under the theme "10 Years of Unlocking Progress For All," Sameer outlines PhonePe’s roadmap for the next decade, focusing on breaking down barriers to financial access for individuals, households, and businesses across the country. The next era of digital finance isn't just about faster checkout sc…

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  Startup  Conclave 2026: The Next 10 Years of PhonePe | Sameer Nigam

  September 26, 2026 · 📺 moneycontrol

  PhonePe marks a decade of building in India’s digital economy. Founder & CEO Sameer Nigam joins Chandra R Srikanth to reflect on PhonePe’s journey and discuss the company’s next decade. The conversation explores digital payments, financial services, technology, scale, competition, innovation and PhonePe’s vision for the future of India’s digital economy. #PhonePe #SameerNigam #PhonePe10Years #DigitalPayments #UPI #Fintech #IndianFintech #DigitalIndia #IndianStartups #StartupConclave2026 #Entrepreneurship #IndiaTech Moneycontrol is India’s leading financial portal, offering market news, expert…

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  PhonePe Completes 10 Years: Sameer Nigam Reveals What’s Next for the Fintech Giant | GFF 2026

  September 18, 2026 · 📺 News18 India

  PhonePe Completes 10 Years: Sameer Nigam Reveals What’s Next for the Fintech Giant | GFF 2026 मुंबई में ग्लोबल फिनटेक फेस्ट 2026 में PhonePe के मैनेजमेंट से बात PhonePe App को 10 साल पूरे होने से लेकर नए प्रोडक्ट तक... PhonePe के CEO और को-फाउंडर समीर निगम से श्रेया ठाकुर की खास बातचीत #phonepe #deepagarwal #globalfintechfest #gff2026 #upi #upipayment #upinews #upitransaction #onlinepayment #digitalpayment #digitalpayments डाउनलोड करें News18 ऐप और खबरों से जुड़े रहें। 👇 वेब डाउनलोड लिंक: https://news18.onelink.me/dEOX/igfbytx iOS यूज़र्स: https://www.news18.com/app/ Android यूज़र्स: ht…

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  PhonePe Completes 10 Years: Sameer Nigam Reveals What’s Next for the Fintech Giant | GFF 2026

  September 17, 2026 · 📺 CNBC Awaaz.

  मुंबई में ग्लोबल फिनटेक फेस्ट 2026 में PhonePe के मैनेजमेंट से बात PhonePe App को 10 साल पूरे होने से लेकर नए प्रोडक्ट तक... PhonePe के CEO और को-फाउंडर समीर निगम से श्रेया ठाकुर की खास बातचीत #GlobalFintechFest2026 #GFF #PhonePe #rahulchari #sameernigam #businessnews #stockmarket #sharemarket #cnbcawaaz #marketnews #latestbusinessnews #AnujSinghal CNBC Awaaz is one of India’s leading and most trusted business news channels, delivering the latest business and market updates, including stocks, IPOs, banking, financial services, real estate, technology and the economy. For over two deca…

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  UPI Fee Debate: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam On MDR, Small Businesses And Payment Competition | News18

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 CNN-News18

  PhonePe CEO discusses the growing debate around Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions and what it could mean for ...

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  UPI MDR Explained By PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam | Who Pays, Who Doesn’t & Why It Matters

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 NDTV Profit

  PhonePe CEO and co-founder Sameer Nigam speaks to NDTV Profit on the debate around MDR on UPI transactions and what the changes could mean for India's rapidly expanding digital payments ecosystem. Nigam explains why MDR is already common across several payment instruments, why small merchants are unlikely to bear the charge, and how the massive increase in Indians paying digitally has changed the economics of the payments ecosystem. Watch the full conversation for Sameer Nigam's take on UPI, MDR, merchants and the next phase of India's digital payments story. #PhonePe #SameerNigam #UPI #UPI…

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  PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam On UPI Sustainability, MDR Charges And Payment App Revenue

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 ITV Blink

  PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam On UPI Sustainability, MDR Charges And Payment App Revenue PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam discusses UPI sustainability, payment app revenue models and the future of India’s digital payments ecosystem. He also speaks about UPI MDR charges, merchants, infrastructure investment, technology, cybersecurity and the challenges facing payment apps. Watch the full conversation to understand the changing business model of UPI players and the balance between free digital infrastructure and commercial sustainability. #phonepe #sameernigam #upi #upimdr #upicharges #upisustainability #…

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  PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam defends MDR, takes on Ashneer Grover

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 moneycontrol

  PhonePe co-founder and CEO Sameer Nigam defended MDR, stating that 96% of transactions will remain free because the majority of UPI transactions in India are below Rs 2,000. As a result, the charge will only apply to larger transactions, and the revenue will help industry recover its operational costs. He also took on Ashneer Grover, the former CEO of BharatPe, who hit out against MDR. Will MDR also help PhonePe's IPO, as it is likely to be a major beneficiary? Tune in to his conversation with Chandra R Srikanth and Anand J #PhonePe #SameerNigam #MDR #UPI #PhonePeIPO #AshneerGrover #BharatPe…

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  UPI Payment News Rules: Why is there a tax on UPI? PhonePe CEO explains | Sameer Nigam

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 ABP NEWS

  UPI Payment News Rules: PhonePe's CEO explained why there is a tax on UPI? | Sameer Nigam #upicharges #upipayments #upitransaction #upipaymentnews #upirules #upinews #upipaymentfees #transactionfees #digitalpayments #onlinepayments #upi #upitransactions Amid the opposition to imposing charges on digital transactions, the government has taken a new decision regarding the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI. According to the government, merchants will have to pay a 0.4 percent charge on UPI payments above 2,000 rupees. NPCI said on Tuesday that from October 15, merchants will have to pay a…

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  PhonePe CEO Decodes New UPI MDR Rules For Consumers

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 NDTV Profit

  PhonePe Founder & CEO Sameer Nigam explains the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) policy, saying the 0.4% MDR on large-value merchant transactions will help make the digital payments ecosystem more sustainable. He says around 96% of UPI transactions will remain free, while the additional revenue can support innovation, merchant digitization and expansion into smaller towns and cities. #UPI #UPIMDR #SameerNigam #PhonePe #DigitalPayments #UPIPayments #NPCI #Fintech #DigitalIndia #MerchantPayments #UPITransactions #CashlessIndia #FintechIndia #DigitalPayment #IndiaNews For more videos subsc…

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  UPI MDR Explained: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam On Who Pays & Who Doesn’t

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 NDTV

  What does the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) mean for users, merchants and digital payments in India? PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam explains the UPI MDR framework, who will actually pay the charges, which transactions remain free and why the change matters for India's digital payments ecosystem. From merchant payments above ₹2,000 to the impact on small businesses and consumers, get a clear breakdown of the UPI MDR debate and what it could mean for the future of UPI. Watch the full conversation with PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on NDTV. #UPI #UPIMDR #UPICharges #UPIExplained #SameerNigam #Pho…

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  PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam On UPI MDR: Why Payment Apps Need Transaction Charges To Survive | Watch

  September 16, 2026 · 📺 Mint

  PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam discusses the future of UPI and the debate around MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) on digital transactions. He explains why transaction charges could be important for the long-term revenue sustainability of payment apps, while highlighting the need to reinvest in infrastructure, technology and cybersecurity. The discussion also covers the potential impact of MDR on merchants, banks, card networks and other UPI ecosystem participants, as well as how payment companies may need to evolve their business models. Watch the full conversation for insights into the balance between…

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Verified interview transcripts

• Why Should UPI Be Free?: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam Backs 0.4% MDR, Says Industry Needs Revenue Model Sep 16, 2026 · CNN-News18 · 17 min
• 'We Don't Want Subsidies From Govt': PhonePe Founder And CEO Sameer Nigam To India Today On UPI MDR Sep 16, 2026 · India Today · 12 min
• UPI MDR Explained: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on What the New Policy Means for Digital Payments Sep 15, 2026 · NDTV · 9 min
• MDR On UPI Is Back! 0.40% MDR Is Still The Lowest Amongst All MDR Regimes: PhonePe | CNBC TV18 Sep 15, 2026 · CNBC-TV18 · 10 min
• UPI MDR Explained: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on What the New Policy Means for Digital Payments Sep 15, 2026 · ANI News · 10 min
• UPI MDR Charges: PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam Speaks on The Policy and Its Impact on Digital Payment Sep 15, 2026 · IndiaTV News English · 10 min
• Govt move on MDR important for long-term growth, sustainability of UPI: PhonePe Founder Sameer Nigam Sep 15, 2026 · ET Digital · 8 min
• Decade One of PhonePe: Sameer Nigam on India’s Digital Payments Journey & What Comes Next Sep 11, 2026 · ET Digital · 9 min
• The bet that built PhonePe | Sameer Nigam | Unstarted Sep 03, 2026 · Z47 Moments · 47 min
• No internet, still UPI! PhonePe's new UPI 123Pay | Special conversation with CEO Sameer Nigam Sep 01, 2026 · Jagran Business · 16 min
• PhonePe UPI 123Pay : फीचर फोन पर UPI पेमेंट | Sameer Nigam Interview | N18G Sep 01, 2026 · News18 Rajasthan · 14 min

Notable quotes

“India earns on a daily basis. The belly of the Indian economy runs on daily working capital. So, why should all saving products be monthly or annual? We genuinely believe that mutual funds and deposits needed to be solved for on a daily basis. With mandates, we managed to do it.”

“What about the 250 million Indians who are still on feature phones? How do we solve for their inclusion? How do we solve for their ability to make digital payments? I'm very happy to report that last month in tandem with our 10th year anniversary, we become the first UPI app to have launched feature phone-based payments using the SMS protocol. It's a first of its kind secure payment solution in the world. Of all our ”

“I think the fundamental shift is that there is now sustainable monetization in payments again which will allow not just PhonePe but PhonePe FMP and everybody in between right to be able to actually build out more and more novel cases so I think it's hopefully going to be a nice chunky amount it will change the math as we look to go into the public markets it will help with the bottom line. I mean these are all good t”

“I think payments still has a long way to go. There is about half a billion people on the payment rails and there is about 25-30 million active merchants because there is lot of churn in the merchant side, that are active in India. So, there is clearly a long way to go there. And with payments now we feel that one we know how to actually sort of grow the Indian market. Too very excited about growing international. We ”

“We have to solve India's credit problem in the next 10 years. India's credit problem will only be solved when the data richness that has come in India is unlocked in value. The cost of delivering credit to a person or a shop, the distribution cost, has to be brought down completely, and in small installments, for those who need loans, working capital, for those who earn daily, credit should reach there. Our ambition ”

“Over the past 10 years since we launched on August 28th 2016, our story's been told mostly in terms of numbers, ever growing numbers, very large numbers, 700 million users, 50 million merchants, staggering 1130 billion payment transactions. And we are proud of the numbers, we are very proud. But the numbers don't define us. These numbers are merely the byproduct of a much larger and consistent vision. And our stated ”