For a long time, launching a branded card programme felt like climbing Everest – expensive, bogged down by regulation, and reserved only for the banking elite.
That has officially changed.
We recently hosted a high-level webinar, “Scale your business with branded card programmes,” to discuss the massive shift toward Embedded Finance. Our expert panel included:
- Linus Olofsson, Head of Business Development (Nordics & Baltics) at Visa
- David Öhlund, CEO Scandinavia at GF Money
- Edouard Roca, Head of Business Development at Wallester
- Angelina Prokopenko,White-Label Marketing Manager at Wallester
If you missed the live session, here is a breakdown of why your business might be ready to become its own issuer.
From Years to Weeks: The Speed of Modern Infrastructure
Historically, co-branded programmes took years of preparation. Thanks to API-based infrastructure and a clearer regulatory environment (like PSD2), that timeline has vanished.
- The Benchmarks: While the industry average for a launch is now 3 to 4 months, Edouard Roca (Head of Business Development at Wallester) revealed our internal record: just a few weeks.
- The Tech: Unified API stacks allow companies to build a technical foundation once and scale across multiple jurisdictions, such as the Nordics or Baltics, without reinventing the wheel in every country.
The “Consumerisation” of B2B
Linus Olofsson from Visa highlighted a critical trend: business users now expect the same “Amazon-style” speed in their professional lives.
“If you use the smoothest payment solutions as a consumer, you want to do the same when acting on behalf of your business. Small businesses can no longer afford to wait for credit decisions or physical card delivery.”
More Than Just Revenue: Data and Loyalty
While interchange fees are a nice perk, the real value of a card programme lies in the three pillars of growth:
- Customer Stickiness: Integrating your brand into the user’s physical or digital wallet.
- Data Insights: GF Money’s CEO Scandinavia, David Öhlund, noted that real-time transaction data allows for better risk control and highly tailored loyalty offers.
- Operational Efficiency: For SaaS, Travel, and Fleet industries, cards act as the “connective tissue” between payments, credit, and reconciliation.
Is a Card Programme Right for You?
During our session, 40% of attendees admitted they are exploring branded cards but aren’t sure if the ROI is there yet. The consensus from our panel was clear: the most common mistake isn’t the technology – it’s launching without a clear use case.
Are you targeting the right audience? How will the card become a part of their daily habit? To find the answers to these questions and see a deep dive into the GF Money case study, watch the full webinar recording below.