Visa: From rewards to recognition, customer loyalty is being redefined

Visa: From rewards to recognition, customer loyalty is being redefined

Visa, a global leader in payments, brought together representatives from diverse Vietnamese government agencies and the financial services sector at its annual Client Forum - held on November 9 in Lang Co, Hue - to examine how the evolving expectations of affluent consumers, travel, and AI are reshaping commerce and how banks build lasting customer relationships.

According to Visa’s 2026 the Changing Face of Asia’s Affluent white paper released in July, the number of affluent households in Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at an 8 per cent compound annual growth rate through 2030.

The white paper also highlights a broader shift in what premium means, with affluent consumers increasingly seeking meaningful, personalised and experience-led living.

Travel brings many of these expectations together. The AP 2026 Economic Outlook from Visa Business and Economic Insights identifies travel as Asia-Pacific’s hottest purchase category.

Ana Vasconcellos, group country manager, Visa Regional Southeast Asia. Photo: Visa

“Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most dynamic regions, and we are seeing consumer expectations evolve just as quickly. The growing affluent consumer segment, increased travel and the emergence of AI are reshaping how people engage with commerce. For Visa, this presents an exciting opportunity to work with our partners to shape the next generation of payments and deliver experiences that are more personalised, seamless and trusted,” said Ana Vasconcellos, group country manager, Visa Regional Southeast Asia.

Changing expectations

For banks, loyalty is no longer only about rewarding another transaction. It is increasingly about understanding what customers value and being relevant at the moments that matter.

Travel makes this tangible. From booking a flight and paying overseas to dining and experiences at the destination, payments are part of the entire journey. Seamless and secure transactions provide a foundation for banks to offer more relevant services and benefits before, during and after a trip.

The same change is evident in premium experiences. Visa’s 2026 affluent white paper finds that affluent consumers in Asia-Pacific are looking beyond traditional markers of status towards experiences that feel more personal and meaningful.

“Whether supporting Vietnamese travellers overseas or welcoming visitors to Vietnam, seamless and secure payments help people travel with confidence. Working with banks and partners, we can improve the travel experience, support tourism’s contribution to the economy, and advance Vietnam’s digitalisation and tourism ambitions,” said Kelvin Tanu Utomo, head of Products and Solutions, Visa Vietnam and Laos.

AI is adding a new dimension to the customer journey. Visa’s research released on May 28 surveying 1,000 consumers in Vietnam found that 57 per cent were open to using AI agents to help them shop online, compared with 50 per cent across Asia-Pacific.

These tools could help consumers search, compare and complete purchases, although privacy, accuracy and unauthorised payments remain important concerns.

The next shift could see AI move beyond recommending and comparing options towards acting on a consumer’s behalf, including completing transactions.

This places greater emphasis on trust. 45 per cent of consumers surveyed by Visa in Asia-Pacific would be more open to AI-powered or agentic commerce if they had stronger assurances around payment security.

For banks, the opportunity is not simply to add AI to existing services. It is to make everyday experiences easier and more relevant while maintaining the seamless and secure payments, reliability and consumer control that trusted commerce requires.

Building readiness in Vietnam

Vietnamese financial institutions are already preparing for new forms of commerce.

In May 2026, Visa launched ‘Agentic Ready in Vietnam’, with five Vietnam-based issuers participating in the programme. Agentic Ready provides a controlled, production-grade environment in which issuers can test, validate, and understand agent-initiated transactions.

Alongside this work, Visa supports issuers, fintech companies, and businesses in Vietnam in moving beyond traditional, transaction-based loyalty programmes towards more connected and personalised experiences.

Through solutions such as Visa Rewards Platform, these organisations can flexibly design points-earning mechanisms linked to their products, services, and desired customer behaviours, while leveraging data and AI-powered personalisation to better meet individual customer needs.

The platform also enhances the value of rewards points by expanding redemption options, allowing customers to use their points for flights, hotel stays, and vouchers, or convert them into airline miles, and loyalty points in partner programmes.

By working alongside financial institutions, governments, and partners, Visa is helping to strengthen Vietnam’s payment ecosystem and advance financial inclusion.

As a trusted partner, Visa connects local innovation with regional and global opportunities, supporting Vietnam’s digital, economic and payment ambitions, and contributing to sustainable economic growth.

VIR