Dhaka — Bangladesh’s second-largest telecom operator Robi Axiata PLC has received regulatory approval from the Bangladesh Bank to operate a licensed digital payment service through its newly formed subsidiary, SmartPay Limited.
According to the disclosure issued on 14 October 2025, the central bank has granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in favor of SmartPay, authorizing it to function as a Payment Service Provider (PSP).
SmartPay — a fully owned Robi subsidiary — will offer fintech-based electronic payment services, including utility bill payments, mobile recharges, ticket purchases, and other financial transactions.
A senior Robi official explained that the company had previously provided limited digital payment features through its “Robi Cash” app. However, customers could not cash out or transfer funds to other operators under existing regulations. “The Bangladesh Bank advised forming a separate licensed entity to enable such services — leading to the establishment of SmartPay,” the official said.
Robi, originally incorporated in 1997 as Telekom Malaysia International (Bangladesh), was rebranded in 2010 after merging with Airtel Bangladesh. The Axiata Group of Malaysia holds a 61.82% stake, Bharti Airtel of India owns 28.18%, and the remaining 10% is held by the public.
Robi made history in December 2020 when it became publicly listed on both the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges through Bangladesh’s largest-ever IPO.
