Ascenda

A new era in co-brand credit cards and loyalty is here. Ascenda and Cardless have joined forces to deliver unmatched value for U.S. merchants and their customers. This collaboration combines our global customer engagement ecosystem with Cardless’ digital-first credit card platform, enabling merchants to launch differentiated card programs and engage customers in meaningful ways. Together, we’re helping merchants connect with their customers and achieve stronger business results. 👉 Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gMEQws4t #Partnerships #CustomerEngagement #LoyaltyInnovation

Just launched – Our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 research report reveals growing trends and critical insights in the U.S. commercial cards landscape. The study highlights a significant opportunity for providers to differentiate and win share through targeted investments in the customer value proposition. Small and midsize businesses are adopting providers that offer better rewards, and many of them are turning to fintechs over traditional providers due to better expense management and accounting system integrations. Some key takeaways: ✅ Rewards remain the top consideration for business leaders when selecting a provider  ✅ 51% of companies are ready to switch commercial card providers  ✅ Fintech players are quickly gaining traction compared to the traditional market ✅ 86% of executives use their personal cards for business expenses The study goes further into WHY these shifts are happening and what they mean for providers, with real-world examples of how business leaders are evaluating their commercial card propositions. You can read the fully un-gated report here: https://lnkd.in/gz8EDDmc #CommercialCards #CustomerLoyalty #Research 

Singapore FinTech Festival marked the final event of the season for us. With over 65,000 attendees from 134 countries, SFF continues to operate a global stage for financial services in innovation, collaboration, and thought leadership. What we heard at SFF 2024: 1️⃣ AI, Cybersecurity, and Regulation: These were some of the key topics at the event, reflecting the rapid pace of innovation and the critical need for responsible, secure, and compliant solutions. The global quantum market is projected to create significant economic value by 2040, requiring a framework for "quantum-proof" systems and AI collaboration strategies. Rajat Taneja from Visa spoke on a great panel about the topic. 2️⃣ Cross-border Payments and Financial Inclusion: Leaders emphasized the continued importance of seamless payments and driving equitable financial access worldwide. In a session including Nick Studer from Oliver Wyman it was highlighted that the Asia-Pacific region (particularly ASEAN and India) is experiencing a surge in digital adoption and consumerism, which also brings opportunities to strengthen cybersecurity further. 3️⃣ Transforming rewards from cost-center to growth: Daily sessions at our booth sparked great conversations about how financial institutions can rethink rewards to deliver personalized, high-ROI customer experiences. As we look ahead, the opportunities to deliver more strategic engagement have never been greater. If we didn’t get a chance to connect at SFF, let’s keep the conversation going! Drop us a message or share your thoughts in the comments below. #SingaporeFintechFestival #SFF2024

What we heard loud and clear at Money20/20 USA: Loyalty is evolving far beyond transactional rewards. Financial institutions are responding to a market shift - customers expect greater experiences and their rewards to work harder and smarter. We had discussions with hundreds of leaders from major banks and fintechs about how they're rethinking customer engagement programs to deliver more relevant, immediate customer value that produces a positive ROI. Thank you to our incredible team and the countless leaders in financial services who spent time with us last week to explore how to transform loyalty from a nice-to-have into a strategic advantage. #Money2020USA #LoyaltyasaService #CustomerEngagement

Money20/20 Las Vegas 2024 Day 2: Technology as the Catalyst for Financial Innovation 📍 Market Intelligence: 1) AI and personalization are elevating consumer banking expectations from basic transactions to predictive, contextual experiences—where financial services anticipate needs, adapt in real-time, and seamlessly integrate into daily life. 2) Neo-banks have catalyzed industry-wide innovation, compelling established institutions to accelerate their digital transformation. 3) Leading institutions are leveraging technology not just for efficiency, but as the foundation for deeper customer relationships. 🎯 Key takeaway: In today's financial ecosystem, technology isn't merely an enabler—it's the cornerstone of customer engagement. Organizations achieving breakthrough growth are those deploying innovation to eliminate friction while delivering personalized, secure experiences at scale. 💡 Our perspective: The future of financial services belongs to institutions that can seamlessly integrate technology and human-centered design. As AI and personalization capabilities mature, the winners will be those who leverage these tools to strengthen customer relationships rather than simply automate transactions. Notable quote: "In today's economic climate, loyalty programs aren't just perks—they're essential financial tools. The most sophisticated programs have evolved beyond simple points and miles into lifestyle enablers that can dramatically enhance purchasing power." (Brian Kelly, The Points Guy) Stay tuned! Tomorrow is the final day of the event and we'll share an exclusive recap you can find here. Something special is in the works... #Money2020 #FinancialInnovation #CustomerExperience #LoyaltyasaService

Money20/20 Las Vegas 2024 Day 1: Strategic Shifts in Financial Services 📍 Market Intelligence: 1) As interest rates stabilize, we're witnessing a strategic resurgence in fintech investments, particularly across payments infrastructure, lending innovation, and customer engagement platforms. 2) The industry is experiencing a paradigm shift in rewards strategy, with institutions exploring value creation beyond traditional credit card frameworks. 3) CFOs and product leaders are reimagining loyalty economics, recognizing that conventional cash-back models alone no longer drive sustainable program profitability. 🎯 Key Takeaway: market leaders are differentiating through reward propositions that respond to broader consumer lifestyle patterns; moving well beyond traditional transaction-based engagement. 💡 Our perspective: the next frontier in loyalty isn't merely transactional—it's transformational. Success will be defined by organizations that can orchestrate personalized reward experiences at scale, creating lasting customer relationships that transcend traditional banking boundaries. Notable quote: "Digital transformation and customer experience cannot be separate focuses. Sustainable growth hinges on leveraging technology to deliver demonstrably better customer value both immediately and long term." – Jeff Tijssen, Bain & Company Energized for Day 2’s discussions and continued insights! #Money2020 #LoyaltyasaService #LoyaltyPrograms #Fintech

The countdown begins! See you at Money20/20 USA in 2 days. Connect with us at our booth #11509 where we'll showcase our loyalty as a service offering and run daily keynote sessions on launching and scaling rewards propositions that maximize business outcomes.

Join us at Singapore FinTech Festival from 6-8 November 🇸🇬 Our team will be ready to welcome you in the Technology Zone (Hall 3, booth 3G11), where you’ll discover the Ascenda loyalty-as-a-service growth formula. Tune in to one of our keynote talks at the booth or book time with our experts here: https://lnkd.in/dT9jXdg3 #SFF2024 #SingaporeFintechFestival #Fintech #CustomerEngagement #RewardsEcosystem #loyaltyasaservice

We just launched something that changes the loyalty game entirely. For too long, loyalty technology suppliers have operated on a vendor model that treats financial institutions as customers, but not as partners. The burden has been squarely on financial institutions to procure the right loyalty marketing investments and put them to use in a way that generates ROI – often falling short of their desired outcomes. We think it's time to change that. With our new loyalty-as-a-service offering, we’re bringing all the components needed for high-ROI loyalty marketing into one unified ecosystem—from instant access to 60+ loyalty partners to compelling lifestyle content that drives customer engagement. And it's all accessible without setup costs or platform fees. This is about more than just technology—it's about an outcome-centric partnership model that step-changes the economics of how loyalty works for financial institutions. If you're curious how this approach could change the loyalty dynamics for your business, let's talk. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dFfby6sX #LoyaltyMarketing #FinancialInstitutions #LoyaltyAsAService #Ascenda

We're excited to announce The Fringe Events agenda for Money20/20 USA USA. Join us at Ascenda's booth for insightful sessions led by our CCO, Joshua Berwitz; CPO, Gautam Thapar; and VP of BD Jackie Nissen, on how impactful rewards programs can drive growth and engagement for financial service brands. 🗓️ Session dates: Oct 28th-30th 📍 Location: Ascenda Booth 11509, Venetian, Las Vegas 🤝 Meet us: https://lnkd.in/dT9jXdg3 Schedule: Oct 28th 11:05 AM & Oct 29th 10:45 AM 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞 In this session, we showcase practical strategies for realizing outsized ROI in financial services marketing through impactful rewards offerings. Taking a data-driven approach, we explore how to personalize the right rewards content for different customer profiles and leverage targeted campaigns to deliver incremental lift. October 28th 2:15 PM and Oct 29th 2:15 PM 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡  In this session, we showcase how to optimize rewards programs for growth and improved economics. Uncover strategies for maximizing ROI, avoiding common pitfalls, and creating a compelling rewards mix that boosts customer engagement and enhances profitability, all while effectively managing costs. Oct 28th 3:30 PM, Oct 29th 3:45pm, Oct 30th 10:15 AM 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 In this session, we showcase targeted, personalized marketing strategies that enhance user stickiness and lifetime value. Moving beyond just acquisition-focused marketing, we demonstrate how to leverage consistent trigger-based lifecycle campaigns, segment users effectively, and allocate budget smartly for incremental growth.