Weekend: attack of the $95 annual-fee cards, a Wyndham bump, and a gift card platform PSA. * The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa card has an increased sign-up bonus of 200,000 points and 2x $50 off of $250 airfare credits after $3,000 spend in three months. The card's $95 annual fee is not waived for the first year. This should be available for referrals no later than Monday. 200,000 Bonvoy points isn't as many as it sounds like, but for a $95 annual fee that's offset-ish by airfare credit's it's a really nice bonus. * The Chase World of Hyatt Visa has an increased sign-up bonus of four Category 1-4 free night certificates after $5,000 spend in three months. The card's $95 annual fee is not waived for the first year. Personally I'd rather have bonus points that don't expire, but four certificates at Category 4 properties in particular are worth more than the typical points bonus on this card. * The Barlcays Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Visa has an increased sign of bonus of 45,000 points after $1,000 spend in 90 days + 45,000 additional points after $500+ at Wyndham hotels within 180 days. The card's $95 annual fee is waived for the first year. Wyndham points aren't what they used to be, but there is some value in the new Homes & Havens partnership for longer stays. Like the defunct Vacasa redemption option, Homes & Havens prices based on bedroom count. * Wyndham has a free single-level status upgrade through December 31 for non-Diamond members, or 3,000 free points for Diamond members, registration required. * PSA: Runa, the provider that fulfills gift cards for Rove, TopCashBack, Coinbase, and other popular gift card sites has a security related service outage that's not yet resolved as of this writing. Apparently a hack attempt was detected on internal systems, and they've communicated: - They hope to be back online before end of day today - Encrypted gift card information was accessed - Your unredeemed cards may be reissued For now, third party platforms recommend not balance checking any gift cards issued by Runa today because it may cause them to be locked. Good times, right? Have a nice weekend friends! Fighting for dominance over the Lubbock lodging market.

2025: A breakout year for your gift cards. December 16, 2025 In 2025, Runa LLC worked harder than ever to bring your gift cards into the spotlight, driving redemptions, unlocking new demand and connecting you to a growing base of global customers. Through the Runa Network, your gift cards are now used for more than gifting. They've become a go-to payout method for rewards, refunds, recognition, loyalty and incentives, trusted by fast-moving businesses that want to deliver meaningful value, instantly. As your partner, Runa LLC focus on one thing: helping your gift cards go further. And this year, Runa LLC did just that. Promotions That Drive Results Promotions remain one of the most powerful ways to increase visibility and drive redemptions and in 2025, Runa LLC turned that power into performance. Throughout the year, Runa LLC launched hundreds of targeted campaigns designed to spotlight your gift cards at high-impact moments: seasonal surges, new customer onboarding, product launches and more. Across these campaigns: * 50+ unique merchants were featured * 65+ Runa customers ran promotions * Campaigns spanned 9 countries, creating global visibility * Merchants saw an average 75% uplift in redemptions vs. baseline * And on average, promotions delivered a 21x return on investment These campaigns aren't just about placement - they're about results. And as more customers embed gift cards into their core programs, these promotions offer a direct path to new audiences and higher volumes. Looking ahead, Runa LLC has built the infrastructure to scale. Its merchant success team is ready to support you with everything from setup and targeting to creative and performance tracking, making it easier than ever to run campaigns that deliver. Runa Shop: A New Way to Reach New Customers In 2025, Runa LLC launched Runa Shop, a no-code gift card marketplace that Runa customers can brand, configure, and launch in just 24 hours. What does this mean for you? More visibility. More customers. Runa Shop gives its customers more ways to feature your gift cards front and center. It's a new channel, with no additional work required on your side and a powerful way to increase visibility with modern, digital-first buyers. Leading businesses have already launched with Runa Shop and whether it's used for employee perks, customer loyalty, or promotional rewards, this gives your card new reach and new relevance. As adoption grows in 2026, so will your audience. Smarter Insights: The New Merchant Dashboard You asked for more data, and Runa LLC delivered. Its new Merchant Dashboard gives you real-time visibility into how your gift cards are performing across the Runa Network. Now you can: * Monitor redemption trends across time * View performance at the SKU level * Explore regional and partner insights It's built to help you make smarter decisions, faster and to show exactly how your gift cards are driving results across programs and markets. New Verticals. Growing Demand. New Customers. This year, demand for gift cards expanded in both new and established directions - and your gift card was right at the center of it. Runa LLC saw strong momentum in new verticals like fintech and the gig economy, where businesses are turning to gift cards for fast, flexible, and cost-effective payouts. From wallet cashouts to global gig rewards, gift cards are becoming the go-to alternative to traditional bank transfers or internal credits. At the same time, Runa LLC saw continued growth across core verticals like employee rewards, loyalty programs, and customer incentives, areas where gift cards have proven to drive engagement, boost satisfaction, and scale with ease across markets. This growth was fueled by new customers like: * Ohme, an EV energy provider using gift cards to reward drivers for sustainable charging habits * Dynata, one of the world's leading research & insights platform, delivering incentives to global panel participants * Youpay, an influencer platform enabling content creators to be paid and rewarded for their work. Each of these customers brings new audiences and new redemption moments, proving that the value of your gift card continues to grow with every use case. Looking Ahead: What's Next for 2026 2025 was about momentum. In 2026, Runa LLC is focused on acceleration. Runa LLC is expanding what's possible for its merchant partners - not just more of what worked, but smarter ways to scale your visibility, impact and reach. Here's what's on the horizon: * Smarter promotion tools that give you more control, from self-serve setup to real-time performance insights * New channels and use cases as gift cards become the payout method of choice across fintech, benefits, and beyond * Deeper insights into where, when, and how your gift card is performing, so you can turn data into direction, faster Runa LLC is building a platform that not only supports your growth but unlocks it. Thank you for being part of the Runa Network. Your gift card is helping shape the future of payouts, and Runa LLC is proud to help it go further, faster, and into more hands. Ready to take the next step? Your Partner Manager is here to help make 2026 your most impactful year yet.