India’s Reliance Jio Pilots Blockchain Rewards With 9.4M Users
India’s Largest Mobile Network Tests Digital Rewards
Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom operator, is working with the Aptos Foundation and Aptos Labs to integrate blockchain-based rewards across its services for more than 500 million users. The system, built on the Aptos layer-1 blockchain, is designed to issue digital rewards with everyday utility rather than trading value.
The partnership was announced at the “Aptos Experience” event, where Jio’s general manager and business head Pawas Chandra said the rewards platform is in beta testing with around 9.4 million users. Chandra described the initiative as an effort to “bring blockchain into the practical aspects of daily digital life.”
Aptos Labs will provide technical support and infrastructure to run and maintain the platform, ensuring scalability for Jio’s user base, which exceeds the population of the European Union.
Investor Takeaway
Blockchain Integration at Scale
The project relies on Aptos’ high-throughput blockchain, known for quick finality and low transaction costs. The technology, originally developed by former Meta engineers, is built to support applications requiring millions of daily interactions—making it a candidate for telecom loyalty and rewards programs.
For Jio, the rollout marks its first large-scale use of public blockchain infrastructure. The company, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, has a track record of rapid digital adoption. Its platforms already host JioMart, JioCinema, and JioPay, reaching into sectors from retail to entertainment. Integrating blockchain rewards into these services could deepen user engagement and introduce tokenized incentives without speculation.
Sources close to the project said the system will distribute rewards directly through Jio’s digital ecosystem, potentially redeemable for mobile data, subscriptions, or partner offers. The companies have not disclosed whether the tokens will be tradeable or transferable outside the network.
Aptos’ Role in India’s Web3 Expansion
Founded in 2022, Aptos is one of several new-generation blockchains competing to attract enterprise and consumer use cases. Its partnership with Reliance Jio gives it a foothold in a market where mobile internet adoption exceeds 800 million users. India’s government has encouraged controlled blockchain experimentation in finance and telecom while maintaining restrictions on cryptocurrency trading.
The collaboration follows a series of enterprise partnerships Aptos has struck to showcase non-speculative blockchain adoption. By focusing on rewards and data-based incentives, Aptos positions its technology as a compliance-friendly alternative to token speculation that has drawn regulatory pushback across Asia.
For Aptos Labs, providing the technical backbone to a telecom ecosystem of this scale is a stress test of its architecture and an entry point into a regulated, mass-market deployment.
Investor Takeaway
Next Steps and Industry Implications
Reliance Jio has not announced a public launch date for the rewards program. Executives said the beta phase will continue until the company confirms network stability and compliance with India’s digital asset guidelines. The collaboration reflects growing interest among major Indian firms in using blockchain to build closed-loop ecosystems for loyalty and engagement.
If successful, the Jio–Aptos partnership could influence how telecom firms integrate distributed systems into their digital stacks. Analysts note that large-scale blockchain deployments in consumer industries have been rare, and Jio’s 500 million-user base offers a test of whether blockchain can handle real-world workloads outside crypto trading.
For Aptos, the collaboration provides exposure to one of the quickest-growing mobile markets and a case study for Web3’s infrastructure ambitions in heavily regulated sectors.
