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Entrepreneur Spotlight
Ashish Singhal, co-founder of CoinSwitch, India’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, recently shared a deeply personal story that’s resonating across the startup and investment community. His journey from modest beginnings to building a company valued at ₹17,500 crore is not just a tale of grit and growth—it’s a tribute to a father’s quiet wisdom and the power of long-term thinking.
Key Highlights from His Journey
Ashish’s father, a doctor, charged just ₹5 per consultation, prioritizing service over profit.
Inspired by this, Ashish embraced a value-first mindset early in life.
He avoided luxury in his 20s, choosing frugality and focus over indulgence.
After saving ₹25 lakh from his job at Amazon, he gave ₹20 lakh to his parents and used ₹5 lakh to start a business that failed.
Undeterred, he co-founded CoinSwitch with friends Govind Soni and Vimal Sagar Tiwari.
Today, CoinSwitch is valued at approximately $2 billion (₹17,500 crore).
The Father’s Lesson That Sparked a Vision
Ashish’s father wasn’t just a doctor—he was a quiet revolutionary. Charging ₹5 per consultation wasn’t a sign of ignorance; it was a deliberate choice to serve. That ethos of building rather than consuming shaped Ashish’s worldview. He learned that real value isn’t what you take—it’s what you create.
This lesson became the foundation of his entrepreneurial philosophy:
Focus on long-term impact
Build something meaningful
Measure success by contribution, not consumption
The Power of Frugality and Focus
In his 20s, Ashish made choices that many would consider extreme:
No holidays
Cycling to work
Meeting friends only once a week
Saving aggressively
While peers chased experiences, Ashish chased purpose. He treated his 20s not as a time to spend, but as a rare window to accumulate—skills, savings, and clarity.
The First Failure and the Pivot to CoinSwitch
Ashish’s first venture didn’t succeed. But instead of retreating, he recalibrated. With his remaining savings and a renewed sense of purpose, he teamed up with trusted friends to build CoinSwitch—a platform that simplifies cryptocurrency investing for millions of Indians.
CoinSwitch’s success wasn’t overnight. It was built on:
Deep market understanding
User-first design
Regulatory awareness
Relentless execution
The Philosophy Behind the Billion-Dollar Brand
Ashish’s story isn’t just about CoinSwitch—it’s about mindset. He believes:
You rise by building what you don’t have, not by spending what you do.
The best trade-off is choosing conviction over comfort.
The real win is becoming someone who can build—not just someone who did.
His LinkedIn post, where he shared this journey, struck a chord with thousands. It wasn’t just motivational—it was a blueprint for intentional living.
Final Thoughts
Ashish Singhal’s rise from a ₹5 lesson to a ₹17,500 crore empire is a masterclass in values-driven entrepreneurship. It reminds us that the most powerful legacy isn’t wealth—it’s wisdom. And sometimes, the quiet choices made by a parent can echo across generations, shaping not just a life, but an entire industry.
Sources: LiveMint
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