In a world where digital payments and alternative assets are reshaping the way people think about money, fintech startups are exploring new ways to integrate crypto into everyday life. India, with its growing base of tech-savvy consumers and evolving financial infrastructure, is becoming a fertile ground for innovation at the intersection of traditional finance and decentralized systems.

At Newzchain, we’re constantly on the lookout for the next big thing in Web3 and beyond. That’s precisely why we launched “Newzchain Exclusive”, a series spotlighting startups solving real-world problems and building the future.

This week, we feature Bengaluru-based GoSats, a company taking a unique approach to mainstream Bitcoin adoption by embedding it into something as routine as shopping rewards.

We spoke with Mohammed Roshan, CEO and CTO of GoSats, who shared the journey behind the startup, from the early challenges of building trust around crypto rewards in India to the launch of their new AI-powered shopping assistant, Sofi. He also opened up about the team’s vision, their traction so far, and how GoSats aims to shift the way consumers think about digital wealth.

Bridging the Gap Between Everyday Spending and Digital Assets

When Roshan co-founded GoSats, the idea wasn’t to build just another crypto app. It was to remove friction from Bitcoin adoption in a market that hadn’t quite found its footing. 

“When we started off, the crypto assets penetration was very low in India. We wanted to create the simplest on-ramp for Bitcoin in India,” Roshan recalls.

In 2021, India ranked second globally in overall crypto adoption, yet awareness and utility remained skewed toward speculation rather than everyday use. GoSats stepped in with a clear value proposition: reimagine rewards. Instead of loyalty points with expiry dates and complex redemption rules, GoSats introduced Bitcoin and Gold as rewards—assets with appreciating value and no expiry.

“When we started off, all the reward programs were offering points which had very low utility, limited validity, and complex redemption processes,” Roshan explains.
“We wanted to provide world-class assets like Bitcoin & Gold in rewards… that can be redeemed as per customers’ wish without any complex T&C's.”

Initially bootstrapped, GoSats laid its foundation quietly, focusing on product validation and user education. Eventually, global investors took note. Backed by the likes of Y Combinator and Accel, the startup now operates with a 20+ member team and is steadily scaling.

Their approach not only democratizes access to digital assets but also redefines what rewards can mean in a digitally native economy.

From a Million Users to the Future of Reward Tech

GoSats isn’t just another fintech startup chasing crypto trends—it’s a product born out of long-term thinking and iterative growth. By December last year, the platform had crossed 1 million users, a milestone that speaks to its early product-market fit. And with Bitcoin recently crossing ₹1 crore in value, GoSats has already distributed rewards worth over ₹40 crore in BTC to its users.

This traction aligns with a wider shift in the Indian digital economy. According to reports, the value of digital payments in India to increase to $10 trillion by 2026, which will constitute nearly 65% of all payments.

At the core of GoSats’ next chapter is Sofi, an AI-powered shopping assistant currently in development. Designed to simplify food delivery, Q-commerce, and online purchases, Sofi aggregates deals across platforms, personalizes choices, and rewards users in Bitcoin and Gold. 

“It’ll also act as a personal financial assistant by giving one insights on their spends & will help one make better financial decisions,” says Roshan.

Culturally, GoSats operates with a lean, experimental mindset. As Roshan puts it, the team aims to “keep things simple, move quickly, and focus on solving real problems” for users. From product development to team dynamics, the startup stays grounded in a clear mission: turning everyday spending into long-term digital asset ownership.

Building Trust, One Satoshi at a Time

For any startup working in the crypto space—particularly in a market like India—trust is both the first hurdle and the ongoing battleground. GoSats faced this challenge head-on. 

“One of the biggest challenges early on was building trust around Bitcoin rewards, especially when crypto awareness was still low in India,” says Mohammed Roshan. 

At a time when many consumers equated crypto with volatility or scam, convincing them to accept Bitcoin as a legitimate reward was no small task.

The company leaned into education, clarity, and user experience. Simplifying the reward process and removing complex conditions became central to their strategy. Transparency—about how rewards work, how they are stored, and how they can be redeemed—helped win over early adopters.

Roshan notes that balancing speed with stability was another hard-earned lesson. And a user-first approach ultimately became a foundational strength.

“We moved fast, but we made sure we listened to feedback and iterated quickly based on what users actually needed,” he explains. 

When asked what advice he’d offer other founders, Roshan’s message is grounded in clarity and persistence. 

“Stay close to the problem you’re solving… build trust… and be patient.” 

His experience suggests that while early-stage growth may be slow and uncertain, real progress comes from staying focused on solving real problems—and staying committed to the people you're building for.

Everyday Wealth, Rebuilt

As the lines blur between finance, lifestyle, and technology, GoSats is quietly laying the foundation for something more enduring than just a crypto rewards app. It’s about creating an ecosystem where wealth generation isn’t gated behind complex tools or risky behavior—it’s embedded in the ordinary.

Mohammed Roshan and the GoSats team are leaning into this shift with a clear thesis: financial empowerment should be accessible, passive, and part of how people already live. The upcoming launch of Sofi is a step in that direction; not just another product, but a reflection of how the company sees the future of decision-making, spending, and saving.

“At the heart of it, we're building GoSats to empower people to grow wealth in a way that feels simple, fun, and rewarding,” says Roshan. “We're still early, but we're excited about what's ahead.”

In a fintech space often obsessed with disruption, GoSats is choosing something different: consistency, clarity, and long-term value—earned not through speculation, but through everyday action.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah