India's 60 million SMEs and MSMEs are central to our economic ambition. For them to scale, banking must evolve from being transactional to becoming transformational, delivering efficiency, agility, and real-time visibility. Connected banking marks this shift by embedding finance directly into the workflows that power efficiency and growth.

What makes this shift so significant is that it redefines the very role of a bank. No longer confined to counters and portals, banks now have the opportunity to embed themselves in the digital ecosystems where businesses run their operations.

Powering the Next Chapter of India's SME Growth with Connected Banking

Banking woven into the fabric of business

Axis Bank has been at the forefront of reimagining transaction banking through platforms. With Axis Neo Connected Banking solutions, we are taking the next step by integrating our capabilities into the platforms SMEs rely on every day, shaping a future where banking is seamless, contextual, and growth-oriented. It democratizes access to enterprise-grade financial tools, enabling even small businesses in semi-urban and rural areas to optimize cash flow, secure data-driven credit. Strategic partnerships exemplify this by enabling SMEs to operate faster, smarter, and with full control over their finances.

Zoho-Axis Bank Connected Banking partnership

Zoho has been a frontrunner in delivering robust, user-friendly business applications to India's SME/MSME ecosystem. By embedding Axis Bank's banking rails into Zoho Books we enable a unified, in-app experience for millions of Axis Bank customers who rely on Zoho to run their businesses.

With this connected banking solution, businesses can securely link their Axis Bank current accounts within Zoho in minutes and automate routine banking tasks, from viewing live balances and statements to tracking transaction statuses, without leaving Zoho. They can initiate and manage payments directly from workflows and accelerate reconciliation through the auto-matching of bank entries with invoices and bills, reducing manual effort and errors. Most importantly, they gain real-time visibility into cash positions, enabling quicker, better-informed decisions on working capital and growth.

Axis Bank's commitment to India's SMEs goes beyond traditional banking. With Axis Neo Connected Banking, we are building the digital rails that allow businesses to operate with speed, agility, and confidence. Partnering with Zoho reflects our belief that the future of banking lies in ecosystems where businesses already operate, enabling entrepreneurs to save time, reduce friction, and focus on growth.

Looking ahead, we believe India's SMEs will write the next chapter of the nation's growth story. As the backbone of our economy, they deserve tools that match their ambition. By combining Axis Bank's financial expertise with Zoho's technology leadership, we are creating a partnership that redefines how SMEs experience banking and positions them to thrive in a digital-first economy.