The India FinTech Forum marked a significant milestone with the successful conclusion of the 10th edition of the India FinTech Awards (IFTA) in Mumbai. Held at Aurika on December 10, 2025, the flagship event brought together leaders from banking, financial services, technology, and policy to reflect on a decade of fintech evolution while addressing the challenges shaping the sector’s next phase. As the longest-running fintech awards platform in the country, IFTA 2025 reinforced its role as a barometer for innovation, resilience, and industry leadership.
A decade of fintech leadership and dialogue
Supported by the Association of Mutual Funds in India, State Bank of India, and Indian Clearing Corporation Limited, the event featured a strong lineup of policymakers and industry leaders. Keynote sessions focused on regulatory priorities, digital public infrastructure, and governance frameworks required to sustain fintech growth. Speakers from banking, capital markets, asset management, and market infrastructure highlighted the growing importance of stability and compliance as innovation scales across the BFSI ecosystem.
Sougata Basu, Founder of CashRich and Executive Committee Member of India FinTech Forum, highlighted the significance of the 10-year milestone, noting how IFTA has grown alongside India’s fintech ecosystem. He also underlined the impact of the Fintech Olympiad in building financial literacy and digital fluency among young participants across the country.
Mentor Chronicles addresses a critical founder gap
One of the most notable announcements at IFTA 2025 was the launch of Mentor Chronicles Fintech Edition. Designed as a digital mentorship programme for early-stage founders, the initiative aims to support entrepreneurs navigating product development, regulatory complexity, and market entry challenges. The programme responds to a tougher operating environment characterised by higher customer acquisition costs, longer compliance cycles, and increased investor scrutiny.
Beginning in January 2026, Mentor Chronicles will curate real founder questions and pair them with practical insights from experienced operators, investors, and sector experts. Over time, the initiative will create an indexed knowledge library covering payments, lending, wealthtech, insurtech, regtech, and embedded finance, positioning it as a long-term resource for the fintech community.
Recognising excellence across the fintech spectrum
IFTA 2025 received over 1,500 applications, with shortlisted companies showcasing innovations across multiple fintech verticals. Winners were recognised for impact, scalability, and relevance in a rapidly evolving market. Sahi was named Fintech Startup of the Year, while Pine Labs received the Excellence in Payments award. Other honours celebrated innovation in lending, AI, regtech, wealthtech, insurtech, and financial inclusion, reflecting the sector’s diversity and maturity.
Fintech Olympiad expands its national footprint
The third edition of the Fintech Olympiad continued to gain momentum, registering participation from 70,000 students across more than 4,000 colleges nationwide. The initiative aims to strengthen financial and digital literacy by introducing students to core concepts such as payments, savings, risk, and digital finance. National finals held in Mumbai recognised top performers across student and professional categories, reinforcing the programme’s growing influence.
The 10th edition of IFTA not only celebrated excellence and innovation but also signalled a shift toward mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and sustainable growth. With the launch of Mentor Chronicles and the continued expansion of the Fintech Olympiad, the India FinTech Forum is reinforcing its commitment to shaping a resilient, informed, and future-ready fintech ecosystem.
