Loyalty programmes stories

Blackhawk Network has unveiled a Digital Wallet API that lets brands pool gift cards, refunds, loyalty rewards and promo credit into one spendable balance.

American Express adds AI agent safeguards and purchase protection as it opens a developer kit for software-led buying.

LoyaltyLion brings back its Loyalty Connect virtual series, with more than 20 speakers set to unpack retention tactics as acquisition costs climb.

Ecommerce in 2026: AI shoppers, social sales and returns pressure push retailers to rethink data, compliance and cross-border growth.

Paytronix report finds restaurant loyalty schemes must win repeat visits within 90 days, as active rates split sharply across nine concepts.

AI shoppers put delivery terms ahead of recommendations, as Ingrid survey finds clear fulfilment info can sway or sink purchases.

Retailers warned that mobile checkout typos, duplicate profiles and recycled numbers are draining sales unless data is checked in real time.

Custom Travel Solutions opens RouteStack, giving AI assistants live hotel inventory and a direct path to bookings as it eyes wider travel categories.

Asia-Pacific carriers race ahead on inflight Wi-Fi, with legacy airlines nearing full coverage while budget operators remain far behind.

Klaviyo has launched Composer, an AI tool that drafts data-driven marketing campaigns from plain-language prompts, now in private beta.

AI is turning loyalty members into “segments of one”, as Asia Pacific leaders shift from flashy tech to invisible, always-relevant rewards.

Circles partners with Airwallex to plug embedded banking into CirclesX, letting telcos launch financial services across more than 70 markets.

New Zealand Loyalty Association debuts to unite brands and launches nation's most comprehensive loyalty study ahead of 2026 summit.

Sparkfly and PlayOn team up to tie retail offers and attribution to millions of US high school sports fans across ticketing and streaming.

Teradata upgrades Enterprise Vector Store with multimodal AI and agents to unify unstructured search and workflow orchestration at scale.

Google and Klaviyo are deepening ties to power AI “agentic commerce”, linking ads, search and RCS messaging to real-time customer data.

BPC has been named a technology leader in QKS Group's 2025 SPARK Matrix for merchant payment platforms, recognising SmartVista's breadth.

Nebula launches an Impact Rewards scheme that ties partner renewal perks to carbon credits, social housing upgrades and service governance.

Retailers are racing from blunt discounts to AI-driven one-to-one offers, promising sharper margins and loyalty in APAC's crowded market.

Asia Pacific Loyalty Awards 2026 unveils record finalist line-up as brands double down on retention, data and personalised engagement.