Here’s your October loyalty update for Australia and New Zealand from Ellipsis, The Loyalty Experts^®.  We share the highlights below, subscribe to receive the detailed monthly market update. 

What matters this month

ANZ has closed Cashrewards: ANZ owned Cashrewards, with 2.5 million Australian members, closed. Originally independent, Cashrewards was acquired by ANZ as its bank wide loyalty offering eschewing a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) investment and calling it "Buy Now Save Now" in a $100 million takeover bid in October 2021. The stated goal was to integrate Cashrewards into the ANZ app and give premium cash back offers to its 4.7 million card holders under a Cashrewards Max banner. That plan was halted in September 2023.

Australia

• American Express will devalue airline transfers from December 2025, increasing point requirements and dropping Thai Royal Orchid Plus

• Commonwealth Bank cuts airline partners to Qantas and Velocity

• NAB expands its Goodies program with telco Mate. Flybuys active members are up 4.4% to 9.9 million and Coles and Woolworths grow retail media revenues

• New programs from David Jones (with Qantas), Revolut (RevPoints) and apparel retailers The Iconic, Decjuba and Peter Alexander.

• The RBA’s proposed interchange fee cap threatens to erode loyalty rewards

• Rokt partners with David Jones, BWS and The Iconic

• The Pharmacy Guild acquires Members Benefits Australia and Marigold has been acquired by Zeta Global.

New Zealand

• Air New Zealand’s Airpoints has added DoorDash as a partner

• Telco One New Zealand has opened its One Wallet loyalty program to all residents over 18, offering credit spendable on new One phones for non-customers.

• Former AA Smartfuel executives have launched Cashpoints, a new multi-retailer loyalty program with partners including Super Liquor, Mix & Match, and Hireace, targeting 500,000 members in year one.

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