Paytm takes cue from Alibaba, launches credit score check facility for app users

Digital payments company Paytm has now enabled users to check their credit scores on its mobile app. Users can access the service by clicking on ‘My Credit Score’ under their user profile section. Paytm-backer Alibaba’s financial services affiliate Ant Financial had launched a similar service called Sesame Credit in January 2015 for individual credit scores of customers and small business owners. Tencent too has reportedly started testing a credit score feature recently for WeChat Pay.

Paytm said that users will able to be able to get a detailed credit report on their emails that would provide information about their credit utilizations and repayment history based on the age of the credit accounts.

Using this, customers can know their credit score that has become the key metric for raising bank loan or seeking credit card approval, the company said in a statement.

“This is a strategic move by Paytm to become the universe of financial services. Through this Paytm wants to create a centralised system based on which it can provide multiple services to customers who have a better credit score as it serves as a key parameter to serve customers with different financial services,” Pavel Naiya, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research told Financial Express Online.

Further, the report would also provide a snapshot of a user’s all active credit card and loan accounts along with information on improving their credit scores etc.

Users would be able to avail offers such as Paytm Postpaid based on their credit scores to get a credit of up to Rs 30,000 each month.

“This becomes a point where you get more engagement over your customer base,” said Naiya.

Paytm had set up its financial services subsidiary Paytm Financial Services in March 2017 for various offerings such as insurance, mutual funds etc., through Paytm Payments Bank and drive revenue from this even as it cannot directly lend money.

Paytm had partnered with ICICI Bank in November 2017 to offer interest-free credit of Rs 3,000 to up to Rs 20,000 for up to 45 days for everyday requirements such as bill payments, movie tickets, booking flights etc.

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