Rajshree Upadhyaya |Business Remedies | By blending fintech with social behaviour, Dishant Sanghvi, Yash Sakhlecha, and Riz Ippan laid the foundation of WYLD Card and carved a unique identity in India’s fintech space. Their core belief was that millions of social media users create value online every day, yet only a small fraction of them are actually rewarded for it. The founders felt that this value should not remain limited to celebrities or large creators alone-micro and emerging creators also deserve tangible benefits for the attention they generate.
WYLD was launched in 2021 in Mumbai under its parent entity, Qwerty Marketing Solutions Private Limited. At the heart of this vision lies the WYLD Card, a Visa-powered payment card designed to convert social engagement into real monetary rewards. Unlike traditional debit or credit cards that offer fixed reward points, WYLD Card operates on the concept of “social currency.”
Users with a strong social media presence-especially on Instagram-are onboarded through the WYLD app and can use the card at partner brands. After making a purchase, users share their experience online by tagging the brand and posting authentic content. Based on the reach and engagement of the post, users can earn cashback ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent. This structure fundamentally redefines how rewards work.
The system is driven by the WYLD Score, an internal metric that analyses a user’s social influence by evaluating follower count, engagement rate, posting consistency, and content performance. This score determines both eligibility and reward levels, creating a dynamic ecosystem where social behaviour directly impacts financial outcomes. Through this mechanism, WYLD positions itself not just as a payment product, but as a social monetisation platform for everyday users.
Collaborations Across Fashion, Beauty, Food, Lifestyle, and Electronics
The brand’s early momentum strengthened further in 2022 when the founders raised pre-seed funding, gaining support from well-known investors and operators within India’s startup ecosystem. This capital enabled WYLD to invest heavily in technology, compliance, and brand partnerships. Over time, the company built collaborations across fashion, beauty, food, lifestyle, and electronics, allowing the WYLD Card to be used across multiple consumer categories.
Alongside the physical card, WYLD also launched a virtual card and a mobile application, improving accessibility and ease of use for digitally native users. A major milestone in WYLD’s journey came when the founders presented their concept on a national-level television entrepreneurship platform, pitching the idea of social currency to seasoned investors. The uniqueness of the model sparked in-depth discussions around scalability, dependence on social platforms, and long-term defensibility.
Following these discussions, WYLD secured investment from Anupam Mittal, who invested Rs. 75 lakh for a 1.5 percent equity stake, valuing the company at approximately Rs. 50 crore. This deal served as a strong validation of the founders’ belief that social influence can function as a legitimate economic asset.
Challenging Traditional Loyalty Programs and Influencer Marketing
WYLD’s business model was designed to balance rewards with sustainability. Its revenue streams include a one-time card issuance fee, commissions from partner brands for user-led promotions, and a share of transaction value. This structure ensures that brands receive genuine marketing value, users earn meaningful rewards, and WYLD maintains a viable commercial engine.
An invite-only onboarding and waitlist approach enabled controlled growth while reinforcing exclusivity. At its core, WYLD represents a shift in how digital behaviour is perceived. Through the WYLD Card, the WYLD app, and its social scoring system, the brand challenges conventional notions of loyalty programs and influencer marketing.
Ultimately, the WYLD story is about three founders who recognised the hidden value in everyday social interactions and built a platform that seeks to transform attention, engagement, and authenticity into a new form of currency within India’s rapidly growing digital economy.
