CRED's Kunal Shah reportedly named WhatsApp global CEO as Meta bets $900M on fintech tie-up

Kunal Shah is said to take over WhatsApp's global helm from Will Cathcart, while Meta invests roughly $900 million in CRED at a $4.5 billion valuation. The move signals a deeper India-led push into payments and consumer fintech via WhatsApp's distribution.

— Source publishedTue, 23 Jun, 2026, 08:44 IST·First seen Tue, 23 Jun, 2026, 09:07 IST·Source Business Today · Latest

What happened

Cred · CRED founder Kunal Shah reportedly named WhatsApp global CEO, replacing Will Cathcart. Meta is investing about $900 million in CRED for a minority stake

Key facts

  • $900 million investment
  • $4.5 billion valuation

Why this matters

If confirmed, Meta's $900M tie-up locks CRED into WhatsApp's rails and narrows the partnership window for rival payments and creditcard-stack players targeting Indian consumers.