When it comes to gift cards, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a bunch of plastic rectangles hanging somewhere in the checkout aisle. The truth is, in terms of formats and delivery, they’ve come a long way since then. But from the provider’s perspective, what hasn’t really changed all that much is the underlying infrastructure.
Too often, these programmes still rely on several external partners to function. Whether it’s issuing, distribution, or reconciliation, there’s usually an outside party – or, even worse, a few – handling each part. And that’s exactly what makes gift card programmes costly to run, and even more costly to scale.
But this is where embedded finance changes the equation. By integrating financial features and branded cards directly into their own product, providers can – operationally speaking – bring card issuing in-house. The result: more control, less friction, and a chance to offer customers entirely new kinds of features.
Here’s what’s possible.
End-to-End Control Over Card Issuing
When the issuing process of gift cards is handled externally, as is usually the case, visibility stops the moment a card is activated. You send it out – and that’s when you lose control.
With embedded finance, the opposite is true.
It’s not just that providers issue cards themselves from a single, unified dashboard. From there, they can also track transactions in real time, activate or deactivate cards, set expiry dates, and define where and how each card can be used – applying granular limits based, for example, on merchant categories.
Beyond preventing fraud and misuse, this model also allows for real customisation.
In other words, whether you’re offering corporate reward cards, seasonal gifts, or loyalty payouts, embedded card issuing ensures the rules you define are the rules that apply.
Instant Delivery and Scalable Distribution
Traditional gift card models involve logistics. You need to maintain physical stock somewhere. There are delays. And then come the customer support queues.
Embedded finance – more precisely, virtual cards – renders all of that obsolete.
Virtual cards can be issued in seconds with just a few clicks or taps. They can also be topped up in real time. Naturally, they’re delivered digitally and, even more conveniently, can be added directly to mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Wallet.
In short, there’s no waiting, no shipping, and no unnecessary costs.
This model is especially valuable for high-volume B2B providers or platforms running distributed reward campaigns across multiple markets.
Useful Data Instead of Blind Spots
Once traditional gift cards are sent out, providers are typically left in the dark. Beyond redemption rates, there’s little to no visibility into, for example, usage patterns or customer behaviour.
When the cards themselves are an integral part of your platform, on the other hand, every transaction becomes a datapoint.
That means you gain real-time oversight of how your programmes are used, where the value is going, and what customers actually prefer. This data, of course, supports smarter product design, more relevant offers, and better fraud detection.
A Smarter, More Competitive Product
The truth is simple. These days, gift card providers can’t compete on value or brand alone. What’s becoming increasingly important is convenience, experience, and functionality.
For example, Juniper recently reported that the value of virtual card payments will grow 235% by 2029 – rising from $5.2 trillion in 2025. The trend is clear: customers want instant, frictionless experiences.
In other words, instant issuance, mobile wallet support, and flexible usage are becoming baseline expectations in corporate and digital-first markets. With embedded finance, it’s possible to meet these rising expectations – without building a payments or card issuing infrastructure from scratch. And you can do it under your own brand.
Wallester White-Label: A Perfect Partner for Modern Gift Card Programmes
Wallester White-Label gives gift card providers everything they need to launch and manage embedded card programmes – without needing their own licence, banking partner, or engineering team.
You get:
- Branded virtual and physical Visa cards (EEA and UK)
- Full BIN sponsorship, real-time controls, and mobile wallet support
- User onboarding, spend limits, and compliance handled in-platform
- White-label mobile apps, dashboards, and API access
- Global usage, multi-currency support, and fast scaling
- Interchange revenue and monetisation opportunities
Most clients go live in 8 to 12 weeks.
Whether you’re a dedicated gift card provider or a company launching an internal reward or loyalty programme, Wallester lets you move fast – with infrastructure that’s already built, tested, and licensed.
You stay in control of the brand, the UX, and the business model. We handle the complexity behind the scenes.
Want to learn more?
