Dublin, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “Gift Card and Incentive Card – Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)” has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
The gift card and incentive card market is set to grow substantially from USD 578.45 billion in 2025 to USD 930.23 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 8.24% from 2026 to 2031. This expansion is influenced by various segments including Card Type (Open-Loop and Closed-Loop), Format Type (Digital and Physical), Consumer Type (B2C and B2B), Distribution Channel (Online and Offline), Industry of Application (Food and Beverages, and more), and by Region.
Global Gift Card and Incentive Card Market Trends and Insights
E-Commerce Boom Accelerating Digital Gift-Card Adoption
Digital gift cards have surpassed physical formats globally for the first time, with a 50% share in unit sales. Millennials show a strong preference for instant-delivery e-gifts. This shift aids faster redemption, with online payment studies revealing broad wallet linking by cardholders. Retailers adopting these trends benefit from embedded gift-card funding during checkout processes.
Rise of Corporate Loyalty & Incentive Programs
Corporate gift-card use is rising, representing 30% in North America and 34% in Europe of program budgets. Companies move towards digital incentives as a tax-efficient alternative to cash bonuses. The average North American B2B gift card grew to USD 193 in 2025. Systems that automate reward issuance improve delivery speed and program efficiency.
Escalating Gift-Card Fraud & Cyber-Crime
Fraud losses involving gift cards increased in 2024, with platforms using AI and tokenization to enhance security. Regulations mandating better fraud prevention set to start in 2026 will enhance security measures at retail points, integrating with online standards to solidify consumer protection.
Other drivers and restraints include:
- Cashless-Payment Ecosystems & Digital Wallets Proliferation
- AI-Driven Personalization Improving Breakage Economics
- Rising Open-Loop Activation & Interchange Fees for SMEs
Segment Analysis
Closed-loop cards held a strong position in 2025, although open-loop cards are forecasted to grow faster, appealing to corporate use with broader acceptance. Major retailers prefer closed-loop cards, yet open-loop networks continue to expand. Security advancements like tokenization enhance the integrity of open-loop and closed-loop transactions alike.
Physical cards retained a significant market share in 2025, but digital cards are projected to see a higher growth rate due to convenience and environmental benefits. Digital cards integrate features like personalized gifting, aligning with sustainability goals.
Complete Report Scope:
- By Card Type: Open-Loop and Closed-Loop
- By Format Type: Digital and Physical
- By Consumer Type: Individual (B2C) and Corporate (B2B)
- By Distribution Channel: Online and Offline
- By Industry of Application: Food and Beverages, Apparel, Electronics, etc.
- By Region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more
Geography Analysis
North America held a 40.06% share in 2025, with U.S. consumers and enterprises fueling growth. Mobile payment adoption is increasing, with state policies boosting secure practices. Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest pace, driven by real-time payment systems and mobile wallet penetration. Europe shows steady growth with a focus on environmental standards, supporting digital adoption.
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
- Amazon.com Inc.
- Apple Inc.
- Walmart Inc.
- Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc.
- PayPal Holdings Inc.
- Visa Inc.
- Mastercard Inc.
- American Express Co.
- Others
Key Topics Covered:
1 Introduction
1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Market Landscape
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.2.1 E-commerce boom accelerating digital gift-card adoption
4.2.2 Rise of corporate loyalty & incentive programs
4.2.3 Cashless-payment ecosystems & digital wallets proliferation
4.2.4 AI-driven personalization improving breakage economics
4.2.5 Sustainability push favouring dematerialised gift cards
4.2.6 Blockchain-secured, cross-border gift-card platforms
4.3 Market Restraints
4.3.1 Escalating gift-card fraud & cyber-crime
4.3.2 Divergent global fee / expiry regulations
4.3.3 Rising open-loop activation & interchange fees for SMEs
4.3.4 Tariff-driven cost spikes in plastic card supply chains
4.4 Value / Supply-Chain Analysis
4.5 Regulatory Landscape
4.6 Technological Outlook
4.7 Porter’s Five Forces
4.7.1 Threat of New Entrants
4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.7.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.7.4 Threat of Substitute Products
4.7.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value)
5.1 By Card Type
5.1.1 Open-Loop Card
5.1.2 Closed-Loop Card
5.2 By Format Type
5.2.1 Digital Card
5.2.2 Physical Card
5.3 By Consumer Type
5.3.1 Individual (B2C)
5.3.2 Corporate (B2B)
5.4 By Distribution Channel
5.4.1 Online
5.4.2 Offline
5.5 By Industry of Application
5.5.1 Food and Beverages
5.5.2 Health, Wellness, and Beauty
5.5.3 Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories
5.5.4 Consumer Electronics
5.5.5 Other Industries
5.6 By Region
5.6.1 North America
5.6.1.1 United States
5.6.1.2 Canada
5.6.1.3 Mexico
5.6.2 South America
5.6.2.1 Brazil
5.6.2.2 Argentina
5.6.2.3 Chile
5.6.2.4 Colombia
5.6.2.5 Rest of South America
5.6.3 Europe
5.6.3.1 United Kingdom
5.6.3.2 Germany
5.6.3.3 France
5.6.3.4 Spain
5.6.3.5 Italy
5.6.3.6 Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)
5.6.3.7 Nordics (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland)
5.6.3.8 Rest of Europe
5.6.4 Asia-Pacific
5.6.4.1 China
5.6.4.2 India
5.6.4.3 Japan
5.6.4.4 South Korea
5.6.4.5 Australia
5.6.4.6 South-East Asia (Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines)
5.6.4.7 Rest of Asia-Pacific
5.6.5 Middle East and Africa
5.6.5.1 United Arab Emirates
5.6.5.2 Saudi Arabia
5.6.5.3 South Africa
5.6.5.4 Nigeria
5.6.5.5 Rest of Middle East and Africa
6 Competitive Landscape
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global Level Overview, Market Level Overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for Key Companies, Products & Services, and Recent Developments)
6.4.1 Amazon.com Inc.
6.4.2 Apple Inc.
6.4.3 Walmart Inc.
6.4.4 Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc.
6.4.5 InComm Payments
6.4.6 PayPal Holdings Inc.
6.4.7 Visa Inc.
6.4.8 Mastercard Inc.
6.4.9 American Express Co.
6.4.10 Sodexo SA
6.4.11 Carrefour SA
6.4.12 Auchan Group SA
6.4.13 Aldi Group
6.4.14 Starbucks Corp.
6.4.15 Target Corp.
6.4.16 Givex Corp.
6.4.17 Swile
6.4.18 WeGift
6.4.19 GiftCloud
6.4.20 Paytronix Systems Inc.
7 Market Opportunities & Future Outlook
7.1 Embedding gift and incentive cards in omni-channel loyalty and cross-sector promotional strategies
7.2 Build or license scalable API solutions to enable partners and merchants to issue, manage, and track gift/incentive cards efficiently at scale
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Amazon.com Inc.
- Apple Inc.
- Walmart Inc.
- Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc.
- InComm Payments
- PayPal Holdings Inc.
- Visa Inc.
- Mastercard Inc.
- American Express Co.
- Sodexo SA
- Carrefour SA
- Auchan Group SA
- Aldi Group
- Starbucks Corp.
- Target Corp.
- Givex Corp.
- Swile
- WeGift
- GiftCloud
- Paytronix Systems Inc.
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/97gars
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