- Axis Bank denied any plans to buy a stake in CreditAccess Grameen.
- The bank confirmed no bids have been submitted or are planned for the microfinance firm.
- Clarification was issued to NSE and BSE following market speculation and investor queries.
Axis Bank has moved swiftly to shut down speculation linking it to a potential stake purchase in microfinance lender CreditAccess Grameen, issuing a clear and categorical denial after market chatter triggered queries from investors and exchanges. In a regulatory clarification dated February 22, 2026, the country's third-largest private sector bank stated that it has neither submitted nor intends to submit any bid for a stake in CreditAccess Grameen.
The filing followed a wave of questions from market participants after speculation surfaced about Axis Bank exploring a strategic transaction in the microfinance sector.
"The Bank has neither submitted nor is planning to submit any bid for a stake in CreditAccess Grameen Limited," the lender said in its communication addressed to the NSE and BSE. The letter was signed by Sandeep Poddar, Company Secretary, reiterating that no such development qualifies as a material event requiring disclosure under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR) framework.
Axis Bank further emphasised that it continues to comply with all regulatory disclosure norms and will make formal announcements as and when any material information arises.
The clarification also echoes earlier remarks by Axis Bank MD & CEO Amitabh Chaudhry, who had dismissed talks of a concrete bid. Chaudhry had indicated that the bank was only in an initial evaluation phase, a routine exercise undertaken to study opportunities across sectors, and that no proposal had reached a stage warranting consideration or disclosure.
The firm denial comes at a time when the microfinance landscape is witnessing renewed investor interest and murmurs of consolidation. CreditAccess Grameen, one of India's largest NBFC-MFIs, has often figured in sector-wide conversations about potential strategic moves, further fuelling recent speculation.
For Axis Bank, the public clarification serves to draw a definitive line under the rumours, signalling that no transaction involving CreditAccess Grameen is under consideration at present. With the stock markets quick to react to consolidation buzz, the lender's direct response aims to provide clarity to shareholders and prevent misinformation from influencing trading sentiment.
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