The 16‑Year‑Old Building XPaymt to Disrupt Payment Gateways
Entrepreneurship
India
16 Years
I’m Archit, a 16-year-old student and the founder of XPaymt - a payment startup built for businesses, merchants, consumers, and Gen Z. I started this because I saw a gap in how digital payments were being handled -big players missed out on simplicity, user experience, and younger audiences.
My mission is to make payments simple, smart, and accessible for every segment. I started when I was just 16, driven by frustration with the limitations of current systems like Razorpay, GPay, and Paytm. With XPaymt, I’m building something that actually listens to users, adapts to them, and supports every type of transaction - online and offline.
"The moment I knew I had to go all in was when my .in domain got suspended, and instead of quitting, I bounced back, got XPaymt.com, and started rebuilding the entire thing from scratch."
What inspired you to start your own business?
Honestly, it was a personal experience. I tried building a project that needed a payment solution, and all I got were blocked flows, slow onboarding, and boring dashboards. That frustration turned into fuel.
The moment I knew I had to go all in was when my .in domain got suspended — and instead of quitting, I bounced back, got XPaymt.com, and started rebuilding the entire thing from scratch.
How did you turn your idea into a business?
It started with a vision, moved into basic landing pages, and now it’s an actual working homepage (Currently Private). I designed the brand, claimed the social handles, and started posting consistently. I’m now working on — Payment Gateway First.
Key milestone? Securing the .com domain and launching the full homepage for investors only.
How did you get your customers?
I’m still pre-launch, but I’ve been collecting emails from early supporters through the XPaymt.com waitlist. I’m also building in public on LinkedIn and X (Twitter) to attract founders, creators, and merchants.
My short-term goal is to secure funds for the final product and then to onboard at least 50+ businesses for private testing. Long term — I want XPaymt to be India’s best payment platform.
How are you funding your startup?
Right now it’s bootstrapped — my mom was actually my first investor, helping me buy hosting and a domain when my .in got suspended. I’ve also applied to Grad Capital for a $4K micro-fund.
What is your average monthly revenue?
No revenue yet — but growth is real. From zero to building a full payment gateway site at 16, with interest growing every week from the community.
How are you doing today and what plans for the future?
Today: Homepage = DONE. Next: Building the login, signup, and onboarding flow. Mistakes? Trusting NIXI. Wins? Learning how to pivot and never stop. I’m proud of how far I’ve come without any funding or full team.
What advice would you give to budding founders?
Start now. Age is never a limit - only your mindset is. Don’t wait for money or perfection. Build what solves real problems, and don’t be afraid to look different.
What is your proudest moment so far?
Rebuilding from a domain suspension, rebranding everything, and launching XPaymt.com solo.
That moment showed me I could actually build something real, no matter my age or resources.
Where can we find you?
Book Recommendations
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The lean startup by Eric Ries
