Loyalty and rewards

The hospitality chain and its fintech partner Bakkt are trying to tap into the crypto craze by asking guests if they would prefer the valuable (yet volatile) cryptocurrency over free stays or room upgrades.

Building on renewed consumer interest in digital payments, companies such as linked2pay and Pax are making it easier for retailers to add options like ACH and to import shopper data into back-office systems.

The fee for the Platinum account increased 25% to $695, making it the most expensive luxury travel card.

The bank has its eye on younger cardholders who are ready to spend more heavily now that pandemic restrictions have eased.

The product, which will compete against Citi’s Double Cash card, is the first step in CEO Charlie Scharf’s revamp of a business segment that has long trailed top competitors.

The companies are working to thwart abuse on the Honey platform, a deal-finding system that PayPal acquired in 2019.

The company, which operates private-label and cobranded credit card and loyalty programs, plans to spin off its loyalty operations this year to improve ADS' financial performance.

The cryptocurrency exchange plans to roll out a rewards Mastercard this summer, targeting cryptocurrency neophytes.

Cardholders get a discount, but anyone can use the issuer's new airport lounge — even kids.

Cardholders get a discount, but anyone can use the issuer's new airport lounge — even kids.

The fintechs Nymbus and Segmint teamed up to translate the gibberish on bank statements into actionable data.

The fintechs Nymbus and Segmint teamed up to translate the gibberish on bank statements into actionable data.

The Baltimore community bank is experimenting with fee-based checking accounts that bundle cellphone protection, roadside assistance and other perks with an app that makes such services easier to use. Early returns are promising.

Some institutions have experimented with cash-based rewards to kick-start membership growth, but it's unclear whether the strategy will be widely adopted.

Large banks that counted on airline and hospitality points to drive loan growth in the credit card business are anticipating renewed demand once safety concerns subside. But they’re also cautioning that the recovery in travel spending is likely to be gradual.

There are signs that participation in cardholder loyalty offerings is slipping. Credit unions must reengage members if they hope to retain those accounts.

Mobile banking platform provider N26 is expanding its rewards program through a partnership with card-linked offer platform provider Dosh, enabling customers to earn cash back when using an N26 debit card.

As wireless handset costs rise, American Express is throwing in insurance coverage for phone repair or replacement on top-tier rewards cards as another way to get upscale travel-and-entertainment customers to stick around as the pandemic drags on.

I2c and Unifimoney change incentives to fit market conditions, rather than focusing primarily on boosting consumer spending.

Discovery Bank in South Africa and other overseas financial companies say healthier customers are more profitable. They are giving reward points, gym subsidies and even free Apple Watches to those who meet fitness goals.