SGA PR has launched its first Annual FinTech Report at the IAMAI India Digital Summit 2026, positioning the communications firm as a producer of sector intelligence rather than a pure execution partner. The report is supported by leading fintech industry bodies and focuses on trust, regulation, and sustainable growth in India’s fintech ecosystem
SGA PR, an Indian integrated communications consultancy, has launched The Pulse – Annual FinTech Report 2025, marking what it describes as an industry-first effort by a domestic PR firm to build a recurring, proprietary research platform focused on India’s fintech sector.
The report was unveiled on January 29 at the IAMAI India Digital Summit 2026 in Bengaluru, with backing from the Payments Council of India (PCI) and the FinTech Convergence Council (FCC), two influential industry bodies representing non-bank payments firms and fintech platforms.
The move reflects a broader shift underway in India’s communications and advisory market, where firms are increasingly positioning themselves as strategic partners offering insight, data synthesis, and policy context — not just media execution.
A communications firm moves into sector intelligence
With The Pulse, SGA PR is signaling an evolution in how it wants to be perceived by clients in regulated, trust-sensitive sectors such as fintech, financial services, and digital infrastructure.
The report draws on SGA PR’s client work across payments, lending, wealth, and insurance, combined with publicly available data, regulatory developments, and ecosystem research. Rather than breaking new data, it aims to consolidate signals shaping the market — from compliance expectations to geographic diversification of fintech growth.
Industry observers note that this mirrors a global trend where communications firms are increasingly competing with consultancies and think tanks for strategic relevance.
What the report highlights about India’s fintech landscape
According to the report, India remains the world’s third-largest fintech ecosystem, with ambitions to reach $250 billion in revenue by 2030 and an addressable market estimated at $420 billion by 2029.
Several structural shifts are emphasized:
- Fintech growth is expanding beyond major metros, with sharp increases in startup activity in states such as Telangana and Tamil Nadu, and rising investment flows into emerging regions
- Funding momentum rebounded in 2025, reaching $2.2 billion by the third quarter, alongside a pipeline of fintech IPOs
- UPI continues to anchor India’s global payments footprint, accounting for nearly half of global real-time payment volumes
These trends reinforce India’s position not just as a large consumer market, but as a systemically important digital payments hub.
Trust and regulation move to the center
Speakers at the launch emphasized that the next phase of fintech growth will be defined less by scale and more by governance, compliance, and credibility.
Dr. Subho Ray, president of Internet and Mobile Association of India, said the report captures a shift toward “compliance-by-design” and sustainable business models, themes that have become increasingly prominent as regulators tighten oversight.
That framing aligns with how fintech firms are now being evaluated by regulators, investors, and partners — particularly after several years of enforcement actions and operational disruptions across the sector.
Why the launch venue matters
Unveiling the report at the IAMAI India Digital Summit places communications and brand trust into a forum traditionally dominated by policy, technology, and platform discussions. It also reflects IAMAI’s expanding role as a convenor across fintech, digital commerce, and internet policy.
For SGA PR, the setting underscores its intent to engage not only with communications heads, but also with founders, regulators, and ecosystem leaders.
A signal, not just a report
While The Pulse does not fundamentally alter the competitive dynamics of India’s fintech market, it does highlight how advisory services around fintech are changing.
As the sector becomes more institutionalized, firms that can translate regulatory complexity, public trust, and market signals into coherent narratives are carving out a distinct role. SGA PR’s annual report initiative suggests that communications consultancies increasingly see research and insight as essential to staying relevant in that environment.
