Zomato’s Latest Fee, Weekly Funding Rundown & More

Zomato has begun charging customers an extra fee for opting to pay cash on delivery (COD). The fee ranges between ₹5 to ₹21 and is separate from other charges such as platform, delivery, packaging, and tax. Zomato aims to monetize its customer base by making cash payment more expensive, which could reduce order risk and encourage online payments.

This move is part of a recurring pattern of Zomato increasing its monetization strategies. Zomato's latest levy comes amidst intensifying competition in the food delivery space, with other players like Flipkart, Rapido, and Swish also exploring new monetization models. The week saw a significant rebound in startup funding, with Indian startups raising a combined $321.9 Mn, up 82% from the previous week.

Advanced hardware & technology emerged as the most-funded sector, while ecommerce saw the most number of deals. However, the week also saw a mixed performance for startup stocks, with 33 out of 63 listed new-age tech stocks ending in the red. NPCI's consolidated net profit fell 32.4% YoY to ₹989.4 Cr in FY26, mainly due to a sharp rise in tax expenses.