New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- For long-term Paytm shareholders, Thursday's rally marked a significant milestone, with the stock moving closer to its listing-day high nearly five years after its IPO. The shares ended today's session 7.3% higher at Rs.1,925, their highest closing level since making their stock market debut in November 2021.

The rally came amid improving investor sentiment, driven by expectations that the introduction of merchant discount rate (MDR) charges could boost margins and provide a fresh growth driver for the company.

Analysts believe the introduction of MDR could be a structural positive for the digital payments industry, particularly for companies with significant UPI merchant-acquiring businesses.

According to the Nat...