YES BANK

YES BANK is a private sector bank founded in 2004 and headquartered in Mumbai. It operates 1,255 branches, with total assets of approximately Rs 424,115.93 crore on the latest published figures.

YES BANK operates 1,255 branches with total assets of roughly Rs 4.24 lakh crore. Founded in 2004, it was built from the outset around corporate and business banking rather than retail branch expansion, and its network remains concentrated in metros and larger cities.

Its role in the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups. YES BANK is one of 40 institutions registered with the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company as a CGSS Member Institution (NCGTC MLI ID 46, classified as a private sector bank). Member Institutions are the lenders that actually extend credit under the scheme: you borrow from YES BANK, and NCGTC guarantees YES BANK against your default. That guarantee is what allows the facility to be extended to a DPIIT-recognised startup without collateral, with cover of up to Rs 20 crore per borrower, being 85 percent of the amount in default on loans up to Rs 10 crore and 75 percent above that.

What this means in practice. Its recent history is a matter of public record and founders should factor a conservative credit posture into their expectations, particularly for larger or unsecured facilities. Where it remains useful is in its corporate banking orientation: the desks are set up for business lending rather than retail cross-sell. Confirm current appetite for your facility size before investing heavily in documentation.

The terms are the bank's, not the scheme's. This is the point founders most often miss. CGSS fixes the guarantee, not the loan. The interest rate, tenure, moratorium, repayment schedule and how the Annual Guarantee Fee is passed through to you are all set by YES BANK under its own credit policy, and they differ materially between Member Institutions for an identical borrower. Nor does registration oblige YES BANK to lend: it appraises you on its normal credit standards first and applies the guarantee second. Approaching more than one Member Institution is almost always worth the effort.