Loyalty and rewards

Analytical technology will be key for firms looking to appeal to the next generation of customers. Having come of age in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis, secure personal finance is extremely important to this generation, says Axis Communications' Stephen Joseph.

Cobranded travel credit cards — including some of the most popular and profitable in the payment card industry — are looking at darker skies because of COVID-19.

Credit card issuers caught in the trap of chasing new customers with increasingly costly rewards-point programs are trying something new: letting more users redeem rewards directly with merchants instead of acting as the intermediary.

Wells Fargo hopes to anchor its debit card at the top of customers’ digital wallets with a promotion offering users a $5 credit.

Ally Financial's recently announced $2.65 billion cash-and-stock deal for CardWorks, which offers unsecured credit cards among other products, places a high price tag on a traditionally risky product.

The deal to create the nation's second-largest wireless network may lead to a revamp of a discount that reportedly drives 250,000 new Sprint customers annually.

The connection of an advanced loyalty program can woo consumers, even in a case where the merchant's products may cost more, says Clarus Commerce's Tom Caparaso.

Of all of the valuable consumer assets that fraudsters like to steal, loyalty or rewards points or cash is becoming a favorite.

Like its rival Mastercard, payments volume is on the rise at Visa, but the coronavirus complicates the near-term economic outlook and makes China an even tougher market.

Cubic Corp is trying to boost transit ridership by allowing rewards earned via mobile payment usage to offset the cost of fares.