AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) on Monday amalgamated Fincare Small Finance Bank (Fincare SFB), marking the first such consolidation in the sector. In an all-stock merger deal first announced on October 29, 2023, where the shareholders of Fincare SFB received 579 equity shares in AU SFB for every 2,000 equity shares held in Fincare SFB, the merger received final approval from RBI on March 4, 2024, with the effective date of April 1, 2024. The merger is also expected to provide AU SFB with enhanced access to South India, significantly expanding its distribution network, the Jaipur-based lender said in a statement. This increased presence will facilitate the distribution of the bank's diverse range of products and services to a wider customer base, strengthening its market position in the region, it said. With this, it said, AU SFB has a franchise with a combined base of about 1 crore customers, 43,500 employees, and a network of 2,350 physical touchpoints across 25 states and union .