Fintech Giants End Legal Battle Over ‘Pe’ Suffix
BharatPe Group and PhonePe Group have successfully settled their long-standing legal disputes concerning the use of the ‘Pe’ suffix in their trademarks. This resolution concludes a legal battle that had been ongoing for five years across multiple courts.
In 2018, PhonePe issued a cease and desist notice to BharatPe, insisting they stop using the brand name with ‘Pe’ written in Devanagari script. Subsequently, BharatPe, a Tiger-Global backed fintech unicorn, complied by switching to the use of ‘BharatPe’ exclusively for its services.
A Positive Step for the Industry
“This is a positive development for the industry. I appreciate the maturity and professionalism shown by the management of both sides, working closely to resolve all outstanding legal issues and moving ahead to focus their energy and resources on building robust digital payment ecosystems,” said Rajnish Kumar, Chairman of the Board at BharatPe.
The conflict escalated in 2019 when PhonePe filed a lawsuit against BharatPe in the Delhi High Court, alleging trademark infringement. The court dismissed the case and refused to grant an injunction against BharatPe’s trademark.
Amicable Resolution and Future Focus
The settlement announced today effectively ends all ongoing litigation, with both parties agreeing to withdraw their respective oppositions in the trademark register. This will allow them to proceed with the registration of their trademarks without further legal hindrances.
Sameer Nigam, CEO of PhonePe, expressed satisfaction over the amicable resolution, highlighting that it allows both companies to focus on expanding the Indian fintech industry together.
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