knowmyifsc.com

Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (ESFBL) traces its origins to 2007, when Equitas Holdings Limited began operations as a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) specializing in microfinance. The institution's precursor was originally incorporated in 1993 as V.A.P. Finance Private Limited, which later became part of the Equitas structure. After receiving the final banking license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on June 30, 2016, the entity transitioned into a Small Finance Bank (SFB) and commenced banking operations on September 5, 2016, with its headquarters in Chennai. It achieved the status of a scheduled bank in February 2017.

The bank is a public company, having successfully completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in October 2020 and is traded on the NSE and BSE. As a Small Finance Bank, its general significance in the Indian financial system lies in its core mission of providing financial inclusion to individuals and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) that are often underserved by traditional banking channels. The bank provides a full range of services, including microfinance, vehicle loans, housing loans, and digital banking platforms, thereby playing a vital role in expanding formal financial access across numerous states and union territories in India. A key structural development involved the reverse merger with its holding company, Equitas Holdings, which was completed in March 2023.