What Makes a New Card Win the Wallet?

A leading card in a customer's wallet triumphs over an expired gift card through the first tap and the experiences that follow. A report, "Erasing Friction, Driving Engagement: How Top Issuers Remove Cardholder Friction to Grow Customer Lifetime Value," explores the methods that assist issuers in building robust, lucrative cardholder relationships. The report, based on a survey of 500 U.S. bank and nonbank card issuers, highlights which issuers are losing ground and the stakes involved.

Issuers generating high customer lifetime value have surged from 21% to 17% in a year, despite increased investments in digital tools and AI. Customers can activate a card faster than ever before, but will quickly switch if an app is confusing, a reward loses value, or the issuer fails to notice signs of frustration. Top issuers enhance value through a series of linked experiences.

They simplify approval, help customers use the card immediately, offer useful mobile tools, and respond before customers begin to leave. Each positive experience strengthens the cardholder's attachment.

Issuers with a high customer lifetime value issue two or more card types compared to 75% of lower performers. They are also more than twice as likely to offer co-branded cards. Strong mobile experiences often outperform broad engagement campaigns. Sixty percent of high-value issuers improve their apps, while 47% employ personalized rewards.

These issuers rely less on generic messages sent to all cardholders. Leading issuers use AI to address practical customer needs. Sixty-nine percent intend to adopt or expand real-time transaction categorization, while 49% plan embedded AI experiences that guide spending, budgeting, or reward choices. The report also examines sign-up incentives, card portfolio design, and the increasing importance of customer data in connecting tools across the cardholder journey.