SINGAPORE, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For years, loyalty programmes across banking, credit card, and financial institutions have been built around a familiar formula: collect points, unlock perks, repeat. But across Asia-Pacific, consumers are beginning to expect something different.

According to the APAC Loyalty Index released by Dragonpass, the region’s loyalty economy is rapidly shifting away from transactional rewards toward lifestyle relevance, emotional trust, and everyday utility. The study, which surveyed consumers across Southeast Asia and China, found that while “trust” remains the foundational driver of brand loyalty, consumers increasingly demand value that feels immediate and personalised.

The results highlight growing fatigue with traditional loyalty mechanics in the region. While 80% of respondents stay loyal to their bank because it is the most secure option for their money, 28% say their loyalty rewards simply do not match their lifestyle — and a striking 53% of high-income earners find their current loyalty rewards are misaligned with their actual needs.

Travel and Digital Concierge as the New Loyalty Levers

The Index highlights that travel remains the most powerful tool for customer retention. Younger consumers and affluent segments demonstrated a strong preference for integrated digital concierge services, premium travel experiences, and personalised lifestyle benefits. This highlights the convergence of financial services and lifestyle ecosystems across APAC markets.

“The traditional loyalty model was designed around transactions, but consumers today demand something far more intuitive and integrated into their lifestyle,” said John Su, Group CGO & APAC CEO of Dragonpass. “They expect their banks or financial providers to play an active role in their everyday lives. This is exactly where we have invested heavily, not only in spanning our global travel, dining, and premium lifestyle services, but in the technology that is designed precisely to close this gap, helping financial institutions deliver relevant, real-time value at every stage of the customer lifecycle.”

For banks, fintechs, and payment brands, the implications are significant. As competition intensifies and switching barriers continue to fall, loyalty is increasingly becoming a strategic growth lever rather than a marketing add-on. The brands most likely to retain high-value customers may ultimately be those that can turn loyalty from a points programme into a seamless part of consumers’ lifestyles.

About Dragonpass

Dragonpass is a global travel and lifestyle platform delivering premium travel and lifestyle experiences to 40+ million members worldwide.

“This is a company press release that is not part of editorial content. No journalist of The Hindu businessline was involved in the publication of this release.”

Published on June 16, 2026