How to Earn Bitcoin Cash Back on Everyday Purchases With Oshi
Oshi lets you stack sats on everyday purchases at small businesses. Here's how the rewards work, what the tradeoffs are, and whether it's worth your time.
Most Bitcoin cashback programs require you to shop at major retailers or use a specific credit card. Oshi takes a different approach: it connects you with small and medium-sized businesses that fund Bitcoin rewards directly, letting you earn 1-5% back in sats on purchases you might already be making at local shops.
The platform has quietly expanded since launching around 2022, adding integrations with Square POS in late 2025 and building a network of participating merchants. For Bitcoiners who subscribe to the "stack sats" philosophy, turning routine spending into Bitcoin accumulation has obvious appeal. But there are some details worth understanding before you dive in.
How Oshi Works
The basic flow is straightforward. You download the Oshi Rewards app (available on iOS), find participating businesses near you or online, and shop normally. At checkout, you opt in to the merchant's marketing program, which triggers the reward. The first time you shop at a new merchant, you'll need to claim the reward via email or the app; after that, it's automatic.
Rewards typically range from 1-5% Bitcoin back on purchases, but the platform offers several ways to stack bonuses. Referral rewards, social engagement (following merchants on X or Instagram), VIP tiers based on spending history, and paying with Bitcoin can push total rewards to 10-20% in some cases. A merchant like Tropical Oasis, for example, advertises 1-15% sats back depending on the situation.
The sats you earn aren't immediately withdrawable. Oshi holds rewards for 30-90 days as fraud protection before you can transfer them to a Lightning-compatible wallet like Strike or Cash App. There's also a daily withdrawal limit, though Oshi doesn't prominently advertise what it is.
The Redemption Tradeoff
Here's where it gets interesting. You can either withdraw your Bitcoin or redeem it for discounts at participating merchants, and the redemption option offers significantly more purchasing power. Oshi claims you can get up to 10x value when redeeming for coupons (for example, $1 worth of BTC for a $10 discount).
This creates a genuine choice. If you're a long-term Bitcoin holder, you probably want to withdraw and stack. If you're a regular customer at a participating business anyway, the redemption multiplier might make more practical sense. Neither option is objectively better; it depends on your priorities.
What Merchants Get Out of It
Businesses fund the rewards themselves, typically at 1-5% of purchase value, loaded onto a card balance. The economics work in their favor for a few reasons. Unclaimed rewards return to the merchant after 30 days. When customers redeem for discounts instead of withdrawing, the merchant gets repeat business at a fraction of the original reward cost.
Oshi reports that participating merchants see 30-40% higher customer lifetime value compared to traditional loyalty programs. That's a significant claim, though independent verification is limited. For merchants curious but hesitant, Oshi offers a 90-day free trial of their Pro plan with up to $10,000 in rewards covered.
The Limitations
Oshi isn't trying to be everything to everyone, and its constraints reflect that. The platform focuses exclusively on Bitcoin; if you want other crypto rewards, look elsewhere. The merchant network consists primarily of small businesses, so don't expect to earn sats at Amazon or Target. And the opt-in requirement means sharing your email with merchants, which some users may find annoying.
The 30-90 day hold period on withdrawals also means you're exposed to Bitcoin's price volatility before you can move your sats to your own custody. In a sharp downturn, the dollar value of your rewards could drop significantly before you can access them.
Is It Worth Using?
For Bitcoiners who already shop at participating merchants, Oshi is essentially free sats with minimal friction. The app has earned positive reviews for its ease of use, and the stacking bonuses can make even modest purchases meaningful over time.
For everyone else, the value proposition depends on whether participating businesses exist in your area and whether you're willing to receive merchant marketing emails. If you're already a Bitcoin holder with 337 million others globally, the appeal of turning everyday spending into accumulation is real. Just understand that this is a tool optimized for small business discovery and loyalty, not a universal cashback solution.
The Lightning Network integration means withdrawals are instant once cleared, and the ability to use wallets you might already have (Strike, Cash App) lowers the barrier to actually using your rewards. Whether the effort of finding and frequenting participating merchants is worth 1-5% in Bitcoin is a personal calculation, but at least Oshi makes the mechanics simple.