5 Gift Card Trends That Will Define 2026 For Merchants

The role of gift cards is changing fast. No longer just a seasonal sales boost or consumer afterthought, gift cards are becoming one of the most flexible, scalable tools in modern payouts, rewards and incentives.

At Runa, we’re seeing firsthand how forward-thinking merchants are already reshaping how gift cards are bought, used and distributed, especially through business channels. In 2026, the gap will grow even wider between merchants that treat gift cards as strategy versus status quo.

So what’s coming? Here are five gift card trends we believe will shape the year ahead and the actions you can take now to stay ahead of the curve.

1. B2B Promotions: The Smartest Growth Lever You’re Not Pulling Yet

Think B2C is the only way to grow gift card sales? Think again.

Promotions to business buyers, through loyalty programs, reward platforms, and incentive campaigns,  are one of the most underutilized levers for scaling gift card revenue. These aren’t just sales, they’re strategic placements that put your gift card in front of high-intent business audiences who buy at scale and spend with purpose.

At Runa, in 2025 alone we executed over 400 B2B promotional campaigns across 9 countries, driving results for more than 50 unique merchants. These campaigns have engaged 65+ enterprise customers, from global fintechs to innovative reward platforms.

And the results speak for themselves:

• 21x average ROI delivered back to merchants
• 75% average lift in redemption compared to baseline activity
• Long-tail value from first-time redemptions, reactivation, and repeat engagement

What B2B promotions unlock:

• Featured placement in seasonal or always-on campaigns
• Direct exposure to reward buyers and incentive managers
• Measurable performance data tied to redemption, engagement, and reactivation

Action: Want your gift card to show up in high-performing business campaigns? Talk to Runa about joining upcoming B2B promotions. We’ll help you unlock demand in loyalty, rewards, and incentive programs and turn visibility into real volume.

2. Recipient Choice Is a Multiplier – Make Sure You’re in the Mix

When it comes to gift cards for rewards, incentives and payouts choice matters. Data shows that people are more likely to use and spend above card value when they can choose the brand or experience they want.

• Choice elevates perceived value.
• Recipients who select their own card are more likely to redeem and overspend, increasing total transaction value and loyalty.
• It modernizes the gifting experience beyond a single merchant interaction.

Action: To ensure that your gift card is included in recipient choice experiences, explore Runa Shop or Runa Payout Link, empowering recipients to pick what resonates with them whilst elevating your redemptions and conversions.

3. Super-Easy Digital Wallet Experiences Are Table Stakes

Consumers expect frictionless experiences, especially when it comes to payments and rewards. Digital wallets aren’t just popular – they’re now mainstream:

The numbers say it all:

• 4.3 billion people globally use digital wallets – expected to hit 6 billion by 2030
• Wallets already dominate in both online and in-store purchases
• 70% of millennials prefer digital gift cards over physical ones and that number is rising

If your gift card can’t be added to a wallet in a tap or two? It’s at risk of being forgotten, abandoned, or underused.

Why this matters

• Wallet‑ready gift cards get used faster and more often
• They eliminate checkout friction, boosting spend and satisfaction
• They match how today’s consumers live, shop and move

This isn’t about being ahead of the curve – it’s about staying on it.

Action for merchants:
Ensure your gift card experience is fully wallet-optimized including Apple Wallet to Google Wallet and beyond. Runa makes it simple to distribute in wallet-friendly formats that are mobile-first, frictionless, and ready to redeem so your gift card shows up exactly where it needs to: in the moment, in the wallet, in use.

4. Security Is Non-Negotiable – It’s What Keeps Value Where It Belongs

Gift cards aren’t just popular – they’re powerful. But with that power comes risk. As gift cards become embedded into more customer journeys such as rewards, rebates and payouts, they’re also becoming a bigger target.

And fraud isn’t a theoretical threat. It’s here, it’s growing and it’s expensive.

• 57% of consumers experienced gift card fraud in the past year
• 75% expect fraud to get worse in 2025
  

This is more than lost revenue. Every breach damages trust in your card, in your brand and in the broader ecosystem. And as gift cards take on new roles in digital disbursements, that trust becomes non‑negotiable.

Why this matters for merchants in 2026

• Fraud deters purchase and redemption, hurting both sales and loyalty
• Security breaches can damage reputation and increase operational costs
• Buyers are increasingly cautious, with many expecting stronger protections before they’ll spend

Action: Prioritize protection. Choose partners like Runa who embed security from the inside out including real-time monitoring, secure code delivery  and fraud detection built into the flow. Then, back it up with your own best practices to ensure every card is protected, trusted, and ready to redeem.

5. Gift Cards Are Evolving – Make Sure Yours Shows Up in the Right Channels

When you combine choice, digital wallet access and built-in security, gift cards stop being just gifts. They become something much more powerful: a modern payout method that fits the way people work, earn, and get rewarded today.

Looking ahead to 2026, we expect to see gift cards take on an even bigger role in high-frequency, high-impact use cases like:

• Rebates and loyalty payouts
• Gig economy wages and performance incentives
• Channel partner rewards and ecosystem engagement
• Customer win-back and retention strategies

In short: gift cards are going where the money moves. And for merchants, that means more reach, more frequency, and more relevance, far beyond holiday sales.

Why this matters

• Gift cards are no longer a seasonal line item – they’re everyday infrastructure
• They unlock new touchpoints, new revenue channels, and recurring visibility
• Merchants who adapt now will be positioned at the center of the payout economy

Action: Your gift card needs to be embedded where modern payouts happen. That means flexible formats, wallet-readiness, and seamless delivery across global use cases and real-time demands. With Runa, you can make your card easy to send, easy to spend, and impossible to ignore.

Leading Into 2026

Gift cards are no longer a one‑note tactic, they’re a strategic asset. From B2B expansion to seamless wallet experiences and cross‑channel payouts, the merchants that innovate now won’t just keep pace,  they’ll shape what gift card commerce looks like in 2026.

Ready to lead the way?
Let’s build gift card programs that deliver growth, delight recipients, and unlock new revenue channels together.