Ascenda Adds Uber to Grow Rewards Network

Rewards network Ascenda says it is getting bigger with the help of Uber.

The company announced Thursday (Sept. 19) that it was expanding its network to let its FinTech and banking clients’ customers redeem their reward points in partnership with the ride-hailing/delivery company.

Those credits will appear in users’ Uber wallets, and can be applied toward the cost of any Uber products, such as Uber Rides and Uber Eats, the company said.

“We’re building the most comprehensive consumer engagement ecosystem in the market,” Josh Berwitz, chief commercial officer of Ascenda, said in a news release. “This exciting partnership with Uber enables us to bring tangible rewards and redemption experiences at scale, delivering compelling value and stronger relationships between our financial service clients, our rewards partners, and consumers.”

Earlier this year, Ascenda teamed with Ramp to offer that company’s customers more ways to redeem points earned on U.S. spending, connecting Ramp’s financial automation platform and corporate card with Ascenda’s global rewards ecosystem.

“Customers want more ways to redeem points on every dollar spent, with rewards that are relevant to their bottom line and their employees,” Colin Kennedy, chief business officer at Ramp, said in a news release. “By partnering with Ascenda, we’re able to provide flexibility with control — which is embedded in everything we do — to allow businesses to redeem in ways that work for them without any wasteful spend.”

In other news from the loyalty rewards sector, PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster spoke recently with Rewards Network CEO Ed Eger about the power of in-person dining.

As that report noted, delivery services blossomed during the pandemic, and people still like ordering in, as evidenced by the ongoing success of companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

“But what people really want, and what the restaurant really wants, is the full experience,” Eger told Webster.

To help restaurants offer that experience, Eger added, his company lets diners earn points or cash back that can be redeemed across a range of companies’ loyalty programs.

“We’re the connector” between the restaurants, consumers and rewards, he told Webster, “and that’s what I love about the company.”