Every Indian today possesses a hidden financial asset they rarely recognise — their unredeemed reward points. These points accumulate quietly across credit cards, debit cards, wallets, travel apps, fuel programs, and brand ecosystems. However, because they are scattered, difficult to track, and poorly communicated, most Indians never realize their full value. Consequently, crores of points expire unused each year, effectively costing consumers thousands of rupees without their awareness.

Consider Mohan, a young professional in Bengaluru, who uses two credit cards, an online grocery app, and a travel booking platform. Each service provides reward points, but he believed he did not have enough to matter and never checked. One weekend, he finally reviewed his accounts and found over ₹9,000 worth of points had expired across various platforms in two years. With that amount, he could have paid several months of electricity bills or booked a return flight to Goa during an off-season sale. The loss occurred because he never kept track of his earned points.

Amit Koshal, Founder and CEO, TWID, says, "What’s even more surprising is that reward programs were designed to give value back to customers, yet the lack of transparency and fragmentation has turned them into a lost opportunity. Indians earn points on almost every transaction they make, but without a simple, unified view, most of these points remain unredeemed and eventually lapse."

One major reason this occurs is that reward systems can be confusing. Almost every bank or shopping platform has its own rules, expiry periods, and ways to redeem points. Some points expire after just one year, while others remain valid for two or three years. Due to this variety of rules, many users lose track. In the busyness of daily life, reward points sit unused, even when they could be used for flight tickets, online shopping, or bill payments.

"When reward points are made ubiquitous in both access and redemption, everything changes. A consumer who can use their points anywhere, effortlessly, becomes significantly more loyal to the brand that enables this freedom. It pushes that issuer or merchant to the top of the customer’s wallet, increases frequency of usage, and ultimately drives higher profitability. Ubiquity transforms points from a passive benefit into an active behaviour driver - one that strengthens engagement and delivers measurable ROI for the ecosystem," added Koshal.

Reward points are no longer just a loyalty feature; they become a powerful financial tool. The future involves making them visible, liquid, and valuable for every Indian, every day.