Companies are hoping digital coins can reverse a downward trend in the loyalty market by capturing the attention of younger consumers. Photo: Getty Images
Companies are hoping digital coins can reverse a downward trend in the loyalty market by capturing the attention of younger consumers. Photo: Getty Images
Companies are hoping digital coins can reverse a downward trend in the loyalty market by capturing the attention of younger consumers. Photo: Getty Images
Companies are hoping digital coins can reverse a downward trend in the loyalty market by capturing the attention of younger consumers. Photo: Getty Images

How crypto coins could revolutionise air miles and reward schemes


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Rene Konrad earns bonus miles from four airlines, plus loyalty points from six retailers and credit cards. But the one loyalty programme he is most excited about now offers him something different: digital coins.

Before he jumps on the train to Zurich most mornings, Mr Konrad grabs a bottle of Caffe Lattesso. The 41-year-old can get about 12 Lattessocoins by entering a code from the bottle into a website. In a few months, the accumulated coins, which only became available in April, should become tradeable for other digital tokens, as well as cash.

“I don’t know how many airline miles I lost because I didn’t use them fast enough,” Mr Konrad says. “The fiat money no one can take away from me.”

With more than 1,600 digital tokens already in existence, coin issuers and companies are embracing the tried-and-tested loyalty programmes to differentiate themselves. In February, Tokyo-based e-commerce giant Rakuten said it planned to issue its own rewards coin convertible to cash. EZ Rent-A-Car is letting reward-program members convert points into digital currencies such as Bitcoin. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is trying to figure out how to make tokens work for petrol-station rewards.

They still face an uphill climb. Total loyalty programs’ user growth has slowed to 15 per cent over a two-year period ending 2016, down from 26 per cent in the prior similar period, according to the 2017 Colloquy Loyalty Census, based in part on a survey of about 4,500 American and Canadian consumers. More than half of loyalty memberships in the US are inactive, and about 30 per cent of consumers have abandoned a programme without ever redeeming a point or a mile.

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Companies are hoping digital coins can reverse these trends by capturing the attention of younger consumers. Almost one in five millennials owns digital currencies, according to a survey of 2,001 Americans commissioned by Finder.com.

The changeover could also help boost the bottom line. While unredeemed reward points often sit as liabilities on companies’ balance sheets, digital coins representing those same reward points and convertible into cash likely won’t have to. When redeemed, the coins may even be booked as revenue.

Reducing fees

Then there’s the allure of the blockchain. Today, merchants pay third-party processors like First Data Corp. about $35 billion a year for servicing prepaid or private-label credit cards that are tied to loyalty points, according to Richard Crone, chief executive of payments consultant Crone Consulting. By issuing tokens, merchants could cut up to 80 per cent of the fees, he said. The underlying blockchain technology can help them keep track of transactions.

"You are creating your own card with your own prepaid balances," Mr Crone says. Many major merchants are piloting such programmes this year, and will launch them next year, he said.

Within five to 10 years, 5 per cent of US adults will use crypto loyalty points, and the annual issuance of related tokens should reach $3.6bn, saus Lex Sokolin, global director of fintech strategy for Autonomous Research. Within 10 to 20 years, 15 per cent of Americans are likely to use digital loyalty points, he estimates.

Rakuten could become the biggest provider of blockchain-based loyalty coins. Chief execurtive Hiroshi “Mickey” Mikitani said this year that the company plans to issue a loyalty coin that can be used on its websites and converted to fiat. The e-retailer has already issued $9bn of points in the last 15 years, he said.

Mobile apps

Other companies are not far behind. Startup Qiibee, which worked with about 900 brands including Subway and Burger King on a mobile app, is now placing customers such as Lattesso on blockchain. By the end of the year, 20 brands will likely have issued loyalty coins.

"It doesn’t mean it will replace the mile, it will replace the technology behind it," says Qiibee chief executive Gabriele Giancola. “It’s no more points, it’s a token."

Another startup, the DigitalBits Project, says tokens for its Caddle app, which offers Canadians cash-back rebates from companies like PepsiCo and Mars, could eventually be converted to Ether or Bitcoin.

Others expect blockchain-based loyalty programmes to evolve beyond tradeable coins. Hewlett Packard is working with Streamr to test using blockchain to provide rewards to motorists. In the future, cars may collect their own acceleration data, fuel usage and location information, and let nearby gas companies offer drivers incentives through coupons or loyalty points.

Marketing gimmicks

Tradeable tokens don’t come without some drawbacks. Instead of using them to shop at the issuing company’s stores or website, users could spend them elsewhere.

And some of the first blockchain-based loyalty programs are admittedly more marketing gimmicks than deals. Advantage Rent A Car started a new coin-based loyalty programme in May. Members of its EZ Money loyalty program can get $25 of Bitcoin for earning 5,000 reward points - or spending $5,000 on rentals - a hefty commitment by most measures. The company may adjust the amount.

"The benefit of a programme is when you give customers what they want, they will come and rent from you again," says Advantage chief executive Scott Davido.

The biog

Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
 

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Could%20We%20Be%20More
%3Cp%3EArtist%3A%20Kokoroko%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Brownswood%20Recordings%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Country-size land deals

US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:

Louisiana Purchase

If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.

Florida Purchase Treaty

The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty. 

Alaska purchase

America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of  Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".

The Philippines

At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million. 

US Virgin Islands

It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.

Gwadar

The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees. 

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

MATCH INFO

Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The%20specs
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INDIA SQUAD

Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

MATCH INFO

Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)

Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD

EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdinburgh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%204%20%3Cem%3E(unchanged)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBahrain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2015)%3C%2Fem%3E%3B%20second%20daily%20service%20from%20January%201%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKuwait%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2016)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMumbai%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAhmedabad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColombo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202%20%3Cem%3E(from%20January%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMuscat%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cem%3E%20%3C%2Fem%3EMarch%201%3Cem%3E%20(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELyon%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBologna%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Emirates%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

Kalra's feat
  • Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
  • Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
  • Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
  • Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction