Walmart’s Flipkart has secured a lending licence from the Indian central bank and banking regulator, enabling it to offer loans directly to customers and sellers on its platform, a spokesperson for the company confirmed after Reuters reported the development.

Why it matters

This is the first time the Reserve Bank of India has granted a large e-commerce player in India a non-bank finance company (NBFC) licence, allowing it to lend but not take deposits.

Most e-commerce platforms currently offer loans in tie-ups with banks and NBFCs, but a lending licence will enable Flipkart – India’s largest e-commerce firm – to lend directly.