PayNearby sees rural India powering the next consumption and financial-inclusion wave

Founder Anand Kumar Bajaj says assisted digital services, local trust and women’s participation will deepen commerce, credit and insurance adoption across rural and small-town India.

— Filed Fri, 24 Jul, 2026, 07:15 IST · Source YourStory · Capital · Updated

PayNearby founder Anand Kumar Bajaj argues that India’s next consumption and financial-inclusion wave will come from rural and small-town markets, supported by assisted digital payments, local trust, women’s participation and broader adoption of commerce, credit and insurance.

Why this matters

PayNearby’s rural focus aligns with a recent signal that UPI and Aadhaar banking drive 61% of MSME retail transactions, while AI tools reach 71% of kirana stores.

Omni-channel is steady, with 1,456 signals in the past 90 days; QoQ change was not provided.

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