Bharti Airtel to invest $2.2bn in Airtel Money to expand digital lending push

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Mobile Finance; 24 February 2026; 496 views

Bharti Airtel has announced plans to invest US$2.2 billion into its financial services arm, Airtel Money, as it seeks to capitalise on rising consumer demand for credit in India.

The investment will be rolled out over the coming years, with 70% funded by Airtel and the remaining 30% contributed by Bharti Enterprises.

Airtel highlighted Airtel Money’s digital capabilities, including its data and analytics engine powered by a team of more than 500 data scientists. The unit has spent the past two years building its own credit engine through its digital platform and integrated distribution channels, positioning itself as a major player in India’s digital lending space.

The company said Airtel Money has already achieved “hyperscale adoption”, disbursing over US$1 billion in loans, supported by underwriting technology and real-time loan monitoring systems designed to manage risk and track performance.

Earlier this month, Airtel Money secured a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence from the Reserve Bank of India, paving the way for an expanded lending operation. Airtel described the move as a natural extension of its broader digital ecosystem, leveraging its large customer base to create a new growth engine and diversify revenues beyond core telecom services.

Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel, said the expansion builds on the success of the company’s Lending Service Provider (LSP) platform.

“The success of our LSP platform over the past two years is proof of our ability to combine technology, data and customer trust to deliver impact at a national scale,” he said. “We have built one of India’s most trusted and scalable digital credit engines, reaching millions with high-quality credit supported by strong performance metrics. Our NBFC expansion strengthens this foundation and reflects our ambition to build a differentiated, future-ready digital lending business focused on trust, innovation and financial inclusion.”

The investment signals Airtel’s intent to deepen its presence in India’s fast-growing digital finance market, as telecom operators increasingly look beyond connectivity to drive new revenue streams.