In a world first, credit card users in Singapore will soon be able to use their rewards to offset carbon emissions and aid biodiversity, thanks to a partnership with Aussie eco-tech, Sphere.Sphere has partnered with DCS Card Centre (formerly Diners Club Singapore), offering consumers the option to convert up to 8% of their Visa Platinum Card spend on carbon offsets from early June.Sphere CEO Shaun Lordan (pictured) said the new functionality enabled card users to redeem rewards on accredited environmental projects, with the emission reductions displayed in real time via the consumer’s card-linked app.Lordan said the new rewards innovation comes as Sphere is fundraising in the market, and on top of the company’s carbon insight and action technology rollouts with four major banks in Asia – Vietnamese banks Sacombank and Techcombank, along with Malaysian banks Maybank and Public Bank.“We’re so excited to partner with DCS Card Centre on this rewards innovation that gives consumers the opportunity to easily do good for the planet,” Lordan said. “For the first time, consumers can use rewards points to offset carbon emissions and aid biodiversity by investing in accredited environmental projects such as reforestation in a few clicks via the app.“I can’t think of a better use for a rewards platform. Around 70 per cent of global emissions come from the things we as consumers purchase, so driving change at an individual level is hugely important.”DCS Card Centre Senior Managing Director, Consumer Cards, Lionel Lee, said the innovative partnership with Sphere showcased DCS’ commitment to sustainability and delivering meaningful, customer-centric solutions.“We’re proud to partner with Sphere, offering our cardholders the power to make a positive environmental impact with every transaction,” Lee said.Sphere is also working with merchants and payments platforms in Australia and Asia Pacific to help them automate their climate emissions reporting, while providing services for their environmentally conscious consumers at the checkout.Sphere’s API and modular build allows financial institutions and merchants to easily and quickly integrate carbon action tech into their systems. Its AI and machine learning solutions couple award-winning card payments technology developed in Australia with the research prowess of Swinburne University of Technology, which has joined as an equity partner in the company.Sphere is partnering with Visa in the APAC and CEMEA regions, providing access to the Sphere carbon insight and action technology to hundreds of banks across 100 markets worldwide

Australian fintech Sphere today announced its carbon tech would soon be available to up to 66 million cardholders in Asia, with two new banks in Vietnam making services available to their customers.Vietnamese bank Techcombank joins Malaysian banks Maybank and Public Bank to offer the Aussie-developed carbon insight and action technology to their Visa cardholders who want to manage their carbon footprint via their banking app. Another Vietnamese bank, Sacombank, will offer the service from May 2025.Sphere CEO, Shaun Lordan (pictured), said Sphere was now working with merchants and payments platforms in Australia and Asia Pacific to help them automate their climate emissions reporting, while also providing services for their environmentally conscious consumers at the checkout.Lordan will be showcasing the technology at the Fintech for Net Zero event at the Tank Stream Labs, Sydney on 12 March, 2025.“It’s great to see our innovative climate tech being adopted by international banks who can offer millions of customers the opportunity to better understand their carbon footprint and take positive climate action,” van Son said.“Our tech is now being applied to help merchants and payments platforms automate climate-related ESG reporting requirements. Sphere helps them better understand their carbon impact with high quality data, reduce their emissions and invest in quality offset projects if they need to. These businesses also have the option to offer their own customers the ability to make more informed purchasing decisions and monitor their carbon footprint at the checkout.”Sphere’s API and modular build allows financial institutions and merchants to easily and quickly integrate carbon action tech into their systems.The solution couples card payments technology developed in Australia with the research prowess of Swinburne University of Technology, which has joined as an equity partner in the company.Sphere is partnering with Visa’s APAC & CEMEA regions, providing the Sphere solution with access to hundreds of banks across 100 markets worldwide.The climate tech helps cardholders manage their carbon footprint associated with their everyday card spending, while also having the option to offset their emissions with micro investments in quality carbon reduction projects with a minimum A rating.Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Sphere’s technology analyses the detail of a consumer’s everyday card spending to provide:an accurate estimation of their carbon footprint, tips on how to reduce emissions, and options to make micro investments in carbon reduction projects to live a carbon neutral life.“Given that around 70 per cent of global emissions come from the things we buy every day, we want to drive genuine change at the individual level on the world’s path to net zero,” Lordan said.“Consumers are looking for ways to make better and more informed buying decisions with around 95% of considering the sustainability of a product to be important, and 62% willing to change their purchasing habits to reduce environmental impact.“If customers want to take further action, we provide them with the opportunity to easily offset their emissions with micro investments in quality environmental programs with a minimum A rating.”

Australian eco fintech Sphere combines world-leading Australian payments technology with top university research capabilities to help consumers lower their carbon footprint and reduce greenhouse emissions.Sphere aims to educate millions of people on the impact of their consumption on the environment and has a target to offset more than 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 by 2027 by facilitating and encouraging consumers to use its Carbon Insight and Action Solution.Sphere combines award-winning card payments technology developed in Australia with the research prowess of Swinburne University of Technology, which has joined as an equity partner in the company. The partnership seeks to continue to improve and innovate a carbon action solution using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning.The technology uniquely analyses the detail of a consumer’s everyday card spending to provide:an accurate estimation of their carbon footprint, supported by the AI and machine learning capabilities of Swinburne,tips on how to reduce emissions, andoptions to make micro investments in carbon reduction projects to live a carbon neutral life