MobiKwik to invest Rs 500 cr on merchant and user acquisition

Digital payments firm MobiKwik today said it would invest Rs 500 crore by 2018 towards merchant and user acquisition.
"We are aiming to become India's first digital banking App without being a bank as we don't have a banking licence," MobiKwik Chief Business Officer Vineet Singh told reporters here
He said the company was targeting around 10 million merchants in the calendar year 2017 and about 150 million users by the end of calendar year 2018.
Singh said, "We are planning to invest around Rs 500 crore over the next eight to ten months in merchant and user acquisition. The virtual circle that we want to build ismore merchants, more users and more transactions."

Founded in 2009, MobiKwik as of now has more than 15 lakh direct merchants and over 55 million plus users.
According to company officials, with a headcount of about 290 people, MobiKwik had during last month had openedoffices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Kolkota.

Singh said "the company is also investing Rs 30 crorein setting up 13 offices, out of which four have alreadybeen set up and two will be ready by the end of this month inSouth India."
He also said that the company's head count by March FY 18 should be around of 1000 people.
According to company officials, MobiKwik,which has so far raised about USD 85 million from investors like South Africas payments major Net1, Sequoia Capital, American Express, Tree Line Asia and Cisco Investments, will be raising fresh funding by the end of this month.

MobiKwik also announced that it has partnered with Bangalore One andKarnataka mobile one, aimed at helping consumers make payments of utility bills and tax in a faster, easier and simpler way.