Tim Hortons, CIBC Bring the Dynamics Interactive Card to Canada

Tim Hortons and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce have begun offering an interactive credit card that can change its funding source at the push of a button.

This technology, from Dynamics Inc., enables users to rewrite a card's magnetic-stripe data by pressing a button embedded into the plastic. Tim Hortons and CIBC are the first companies to offer Dynamics' technology in Canada.

The Tim Hortons Double Double Visa card resembles Citigroup's 2G card in that it allows users to spend from either a line of credit or a rewards-point balance based on which button they push on the plastic card. The Citi 2G card, also from Dynamics, began testing in 2010 but never made it out of pilot.

Dynamics, of Pittsburgh, offers a version of this card through UMB Bank. The UMB version lets users pick which reward their spending earns points towards.

The Tim Hortons Double Double card provides 1% in rewards for each dollar spent.  Users can track their rewards balance online, and redeem rewards by pressing a button on the card before swiping it at a Tim Horton's location.

"At Tim Hortons we are focused on bringing forward innovations and technology with a purpose that will help make our guests' lives easier," says David Clanachan in a July 2 press release.