Paytm valuation pegged at $10 bn after employees sell shares worth $50 mn

Some former and existing employees of Paytm are likely to sell shares worth about $50 million to new investors, according to industry sources.

The secondary share sale, which is expected to take place over the next few weeks, would see new investors like Discovery Capital coming on board, the sources said.

They did not wish to be named as the matters are private.

When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson declined to comment.

The sources said the transaction -- when completed -- could hike the valuation of the Alibaba and SoftBank-backed firm to about $10 billion.

In May last year, Paytm had raised $1.4 billion from SoftBank, which valued the company at $7 billion at that time.

Paytm has been one of the prominent beneficiaries of the government's move to scrap high denomination notes in 2016. It has seen manifold growth in transactions on its platform as well as expansion in the number of users since then.