19 September 2025
Earlier this week, Groww filed its updated DRHP for a massive INR 7,000 Cr public listing. Yet, the fine print of the draft papers reveals a sore reality – the IPO appears to be a grand exit for its early backers rather than growth capital for India’s largest discount broking platform.
The Lopsided IPO: Groww’s IPO allocates just INR 1,060 Cr for fresh issue, while earmarking 85% for OFS. This means that nearly INR 6,000 Cr will flow directly to existing investors, leaving minimal funds for the unicorn’s tech upgrades and expansion plans.
The VC Bonanza: Early backers are positioned for spectacular returns that dwarf most VC success stories. Peak XV Partners stands to make a staggering 1,611 Cr (53.3X return), while Y Combinator expects to pocket INR 1,047 Cr (29.5X). Ribbit Capital and Tiger Global are slated to cash in INR 668 Cr (44.2X) and INR 600 Cr(4.6X), respectively.
The Flip Side: Beyond the VC cashout concerns, GrowwGroww Datalabs_in-article-icon also faces mounting pressure on its core revenue engine. SEBI’s crackdown on F&O trading, which comprised 85% of its FY25 revenue, is already showing impact with brokerage fees declining 17% YoY in Q1 FY26. Macroeconomic factors and raging market volatility in the past year have led to the exodus of traders, adding to Groww’s challenges.
The De-Risk Directive: Recognising its vulnerabilities, Groww has been aggressively diversifying into credit, mutual funds, and wealth advisory. This strategic pivot is showing promise – mutual fund commissions contributed 20% to its revenue in FY25 while AUM grew to INR 50,000 Cr. The platform’s 18.07 Mn monthly active users also provide strong network effects for expansion.
As Groww gears up for one of India’s largest fintech public debuts, will its strong diversification moat be enough to overshadow the optics of a VC-dominated exit?
Earlier this week, Groww filed its updated DRHP for a massive INR 7,000 Cr public listing. Yet, the fine print of the draft papers reveals a sore reality – the IPO appears to be a grand exit for its early backers rather than growth capital for India’s largest discount broking platform.
The Lopsided IPO: Groww’s IPO allocates just INR 1,060 Cr for fresh issue, while earmarking 85% for OFS. This means that nearly INR 6,000 Cr will flow directly to existing investors, leaving minimal funds for the unicorn’s tech upgrades and expansion plans.
The VC Bonanza: Early backers are positioned for spectacular returns that dwarf most VC success stories. Peak XV Partners stands to make a staggering 1,611 Cr (53.3X return), while Y Combinator expects to pocket INR 1,047 Cr (29.5X). Ribbit Capital and Tiger Global are slated to cash in INR 668 Cr (44.2X) and INR 600 Cr(4.6X), respectively.
The Flip Side: Beyond the VC cashout concerns, GrowwGroww Datalabs_in-article-icon also faces mounting pressure on its core revenue engine. SEBI’s crackdown on F&O trading, which comprised 85% of its FY25 revenue, is already showing impact with brokerage fees declining 17% YoY in Q1 FY26. Macroeconomic factors and raging market volatility in the past year have led to the exodus of traders, adding to Groww’s challenges.
The De-Risk Directive: Recognising its vulnerabilities, Groww has been aggressively diversifying into credit, mutual funds, and wealth advisory. This strategic pivot is showing promise – mutual fund commissions contributed 20% to its revenue in FY25 while AUM grew to INR 50,000 Cr. The platform’s 18.07 Mn monthly active users also provide strong network effects for expansion.
As Groww gears up for one of India’s largest fintech public debuts, will its strong diversification moat be enough to overshadow the optics of a VC-dominated exit?
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