As the competitive landscape of card issuing becomes more complex, issuers face rising pressure to maximize customer lifetime value (CLTV), streamline operations and deliver flexible, responsive service models. What sets leading issuers apart is a strong commitment to card portfolio diversification, analytics-first innovation and performance-oriented partnerships with card processors.
The top-performing financial institutions don’t just offer credit — they provide comprehensive solutions spanning debit, credit and prepaid products. In fact, nearly two-thirds of issuers offer two types of these cards. Fewer than 1 in 10 offer all three. Yet, data shows that this minority of full-spectrum issuers is 3.5 times more likely to achieve a high CLTV. This, in turn, creates long-term profitability and enhanced customer engagement.
Technology also plays a pivotal role. While all issuers recognize the importance of advanced data analytics, full-spectrum players that offer credit, debit and prepaid cards prioritize capabilities such as fast processing and integrated consumer insights, setting a high bar for issuer processors. For today’s card issuers, there is a clear roadmap. Portfolio breadth, analytical sophistication and seamless back-end integration are no longer optional; they are the foundation of best-in-class operations.
Inside “The Best-In-Class Modern Card Issuer: How Diversity and Data Separate the Leaders from the Rest”:
- Discover how top-performing issuers use product diversity to deepen customer relationships and drive long-term growth.
- Learn more about the link between issuing strategy and customer loyalty across card types.
- Examine the hidden risks of limited product portfolios — and how to avoid them
- Find out why go-to-market agility, advanced analytics and risk management are central to modern card issuing success.
The ability to maximize revenue from multiple sources, beyond basic transaction fees, is what distinguishes best-in-class issuers. This report includes crucial insights that will shape tomorrow’s most successful card-issuing strategies.
About the Report
“The Best-In-Class Modern Card Issuer: How Diversity and Data Separate the Leaders from the Rest,” a PYMNTS Intelligence and Visa DPS collaboration, examines how offering the full spectrum of cards drives CLTV. The playbook draws on insights from a survey of 451 executives who fill heads of payments roles at U.S.-based bank and nonbank card issuers. Comprised of data collected from Dec. 13, 2024, to Jan. 17, 2025, the report provides a roadmap for card issuers looking to maximize revenue, enhance customer relationships and achieve a competitive edge.
