TWID Launches UPI App, Lets Users Pay with Reward Points

TWID today launched a UPI app that lets users link reward balances from issuers and brands, apply points at checkout and earn TWID Stars. The feature set — aggregation, “pay with rewards” and a new loyalty layer — is built into the existing UPI flow and is live with a wide merchant and issuer network.

TWID’s new UPI app makes reward points directly usable at the point of sale, turning fragmented loyalty balances into an immediate payment method across online and offline merchants. The move aims to fold loyalty into everyday payments without asking merchants or users to change their UPI behaviour.

The TWID UPI App introduces three core capabilities:

• Aggregation of reward points: Users can link and manage points from multiple banks, brands and programs in one place.

• Pay with Rewards on UPI: Customers can combine reward points with UPI payments at checkout to reduce out-of-pocket expense.

• TWID Stars: A loyalty layer that awards points with every UPI transaction on the TWID app and that can be redeemed across partner merchants.

TWID says the experience is embedded within the existing UPI journey, requiring no change in behaviour for merchants or users. The company positions the feature as a way to convert scattered, often-expiring reward balances into immediate purchasing power.

Merchant and issuer reach, and scale signals

TWID’s platform already supports more than 100,000 online and offline merchants, including names cited by the company such as Swiggy, JioMart, MakeMyTrip, BookMyShow, MyJio, Ixigo, ConfirmTKT, Vi, redBus, McDonald’s and Licious. TWID is connected to roughly 15 issuers and reports a reward pool exceeding $2.3 billion. The company says it enabled the redemption of nearly 3 billion points in 2024 and plans to onboard 5,000 new merchants this year.

How TWID frames the business case

According to the company, the TWID UPI App aims to increase visibility and utilisation of loyalty programs for issuers while giving merchants an incentive layer to drive footfall and conversions. TWID presents “Pay with Rewards” as an extension of digital transactions that bridges loyalty and liquidity, allowing consumers to use points at the moment of purchase.

“TWID has scaled phenomenally well in the Online Merchant Payment ecosystem with the help of its ecosystem partners - Issuers, Merchants and Acquirers. With the launch of this app, Twid is adding a new dimension to India’s offline merchant digital payments landscape by turning reward points into 365-day savings for Scan & Pay payments too,” said Amit Koshal, Co-founder & CEO of Twid. “At TWID, we are on a mission to turn rewards into a real currency of choice. With the TWID UPI App, we’re not just enabling payments, but making every transaction more meaningful. Consumers will now experience the combined power of UPI and rewards in one seamless journey, earning and saving every time they pay. Our aim is to build a more flexible, interoperable, and inclusive payment ecosystem - where consumers have more choice, and businesses unlock more value.”

TWID lists partnerships with around 15 issuers, naming IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank, BOB Card, Flipkart SuperCoin, Zillion, Jupiter Jewels and CRED among them. The company cites participation in NPCI’s Network Partner Program and the Visa Accelerator Program and notes backing from investors such as Google, Rakuten Capital, BEENEXT, Peak XV (Surge) and JAFCO Asia.

TWID says the reward-to-payment flow operates inside the existing UPI transaction path, meaning merchants do not need to alter their checkout integration and users continue to use UPI as usual — with the option to apply rewards at payment time. TWID Stars can be earned on UPI transactions via the app and redeemed across participating partners.

TWID’s UPI app packages loyalty aggregation, reward redemption at checkout and a native UPI loyalty currency into a single product. The launch leverages an existing merchant and issuer network and positions reward points as immediately spendable value across everyday transactions. The longer-term impact will hinge on adoption by issuers and merchants, the breadth of partner acceptance for TWID Stars, and whether the change measurably increases reward utilisation and consumer spend.