Mastercard has partnered with CleverCards and Appreciate Group to launch Europe’s first fully digital gift card.
The gift card is available to buy now. Once bought, shoppers can send their gift card immediately by email, text or message app. Recipients can then add the digital Mastercard to their mobile wallet to instantly “tap-n-pay” in-store, or buy online.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Scott Abrahams, SVP, Business Development at Mastercard, said: “We want to offer consumers the option to pay how they want, when they want. We are delighted to have partnered with Clevercards and Appreciate Group to help revolutionise the gift card industry by making it as simple as paying by any other payments method. “
First fully digital gift card
Mastercard’s giftcard is the first fully digital, mobile-enabled gift card in the UK, and is available to buy through www.highstreetvouchers.com. The recipient can also check their balance at any given time.
In addition, customers can use the gift card in 6,400 outlets of 61 retail brands. These include, Topshop, John Lewis, TK Maxx, Waterstones, Debenhams, Ernest Jones and Argos.
Kealan Lennon, founder and CEO of CleverCards, said: “We have effectively created a digital £50 note – one that can be instantly sent and spent between any parties electronically, across borders.
“This is money reimagined for the new generation of consumers and providers, including safety, security and regulatory compliance.”
Ian O’Doherty, Appreciate Group CEO, said: “We’re proud to be the first company in the UK to bring this type of technology to market. It’s a real game-changer in many ways as it completely reimagines how gift cards should work in a mobile-enabled world.”
Appreciate Group plc partnered with CleverCards to be the first company in the UK to launch on the CleverCards platform. Furthermore, plans are in place to expand CleverCards’ platform across further payment instrument use cases.
