# slice

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/slice
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [slice — official](https://slice.bank.in/)

## Overview

**slice** is **India's UPI-credit-card pioneer + full-stack small-finance bank**, operating **post-merger with North East Small Finance Bank** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>. By 2025, slice reached **12+ million users with credit-product + 10+ million users overall** + raised **$380M+ funding**. **July 2025 — slice launched flagship UPI credit card + India's first UPI-powered physical bank branch + ATM** — pioneering category innovation. **Card waitlist of 1.2+ million customers** built during invite-only launch; subsequently opened to all users.

slice positions to serve **400+ million Indians enabled by UPI**, particularly the **200+ million underserved users** post-Small Finance Bank merger.

## History

**2016 — slice founded** by **Rajan Bajaj** as Indian credit-card-alternative for young Indians.

**2018-2022 — slice card mass adoption among young Indians** <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

**2022 — RBI restricts BNPL via prepaid cards** impacting slice <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Strategic pivot.

**2023-2024 — Merger with North East Small Finance Bank** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: slice becomes full-stack small-finance bank.

**July 2025 — slice launches flagship UPI credit card + India's first UPI-powered physical bank branch + ATM** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Major product + category-pioneering.

**March 2026 — UPI Credit Card opened to all users** (post 1.2M+ waitlist) <sup>[1][1]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **slice** — operates as **North East Small Finance Bank** post-merger.

**Founder + CEO**: **Rajan Bajaj**.

**Major investors**: Tiger Global, Insight Partners, Advent International, Sofina, EvolutionX Debt Capital + others. **$380M+ raised**.

**Regulator**: **RBI** (full small-finance-bank license post-merger).

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | slice mobile app (iOS + Android) + slice UPI credit card + slice physical bank branch + UPI-powered ATM (India's first) |
| **Identifiers** | Phone number + VPA + card number |
| **UPI** | **[UPI QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/upi-qr)** with **slice UPI credit card** integration |
| **Sub-products** | slice savings account + slice fixed deposits + slice UPI + slice borrow + **slice UPI credit card (July 2025+)** + slice physical bank branch (India's first UPI-led) |

## Users & growth

**2025-2026** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- **Users with credit product**: 12+ million
- **Total users**: 10+ million
- **Total raised**: $380+ million
- **UPI Credit Card waitlist (Mar 2026)**: 1.2+ million customers

## Use cases

slice savings account + fixed deposits (post-bank-merger); slice UPI; slice borrow (lending); **slice UPI credit card** (July 2025+, India's first); **India's first UPI-led physical bank branch + ATM** (July 2025+); financial inclusion targeting 200M+ underserved UPI-enabled Indians.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **slice / North East Small Finance Bank**.

**Major Indian competitors**: **[CRED](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/cred)** (premium credit-card members), **[Paytm](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/paytm)** (super-app), other Indian neobanks ([Jupiter Money](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/jupiter-money) + Fi Money + Niyo + Open).

**Regulator**: **RBI** (small-finance-bank license).

## Fun facts

- **2016 founded by Rajan Bajaj** as Indian credit-card-alternative for young users.
- **12M+ users with credit product + 10M+ total users + $380M+ raised**.
- **July 2025 launched India's first UPI credit card + India's first UPI-powered physical bank branch + UPI-led ATM** — major category-pioneering.
- **Card waitlist 1.2M+ during invite-only**; opened to all users by March 2026.
- **Merger with North East Small Finance Bank** transformed slice into full-stack small-finance bank.
- **Strategic target**: 400M+ UPI-enabled Indians, especially 200M+ underserved.

## Comparison

| Feature | slice | [CRED](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/cred) | Jupiter Money (IN neobank) | [Paytm](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/paytm) | [MobiKwik](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/mobikwik) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **slice / North East Small Finance Bank (post-merger)** | Dreamplug Technologies | Jupiter Money | One97 Communications | One MobiKwik Systems |
| Type | **UPI-credit-card-pioneer + small-finance-bank** | Premium credit-card bill-payment + UPI | Neobank (Federal Bank partnership) | Super-app + UPI TPAP | Veteran wallet + UPI + lending |
| Users | **12M+ credit / 10M+ total** | 12M+ members | 3M+ | 72M MTU | 176.40M registered |
| Banking license | **Small finance bank (post-merger)** | Payment Aggregator | Bank partnerships | TPAP for UPI | PPI + Payment Aggregator |
| Distinctive | **India's first UPI credit card + UPI-led bank branch + ATM (July 2025+)** | CIBIL ≥750 gated + ~₹2K ARPU | Federal Bank partnership; Jitendra Gupta founder | Soundbox + recovery | Pre-UPI veteran |

## Status

**Active, full-stack Indian small-finance bank with UPI credit-card pioneering** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- **slice / North East Small Finance Bank** post-merger.
- **12M+ users with credit-product + 10M+ total users + $380M+ raised**.
- **July 2025 launches India's first UPI credit card + India's first UPI-powered physical bank branch + ATM**.
- **March 2026 UPI Credit Card opened to all** (1.2M+ waitlist completed).

## Sources

[1]: https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/slice-launches-flagship-credit-card-and-indias-first-upi-powered-bank-branch-302495390.html "slice launches flagship credit card + UPI bank branch — PRNewswire"
[2]: https://slice.bank.in/ "slice — official"
[3]: https://valueforstartups.in/slice_investor_report "slice Investor Report 2026 — VFS"
[4]: https://techresearchonline.com/blog/cred-vs-slice-fintech-comparison/ "CRED vs Slice 2025 — Tech Research Online"

- [1] [slice launches flagship credit card + UPI bank branch — PRNewswire][1]
- [2] [slice — official][2]
- [3] [slice Investor Report 2026 — VFS][3]
- [4] [CRED vs Slice — Tech Research Online][4]

## Source

Biography extracted from [slice.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/slice). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.