Not too long ago, I had the chance to attend CardCon 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, which gave my Bankrate colleagues and me unfettered entry to the trade gamers that make up the bank card trade, representing card issuers, affiliate entrepreneurs, lenders, journalists and influencers.
The occasion, hosted by long-time freelance bank card, factors and miles author Jason Steele, supplies an vital alternative for all of us working within the area to fulfill individuals and study what’s new in all segments of the bank card trade. Beneath are the issues that stayed with me from this yr’s CardCon.
Bank card tendencies
A bank cards convention is without doubt one of the finest locations to listen to trade insiders’ takes on what’s subsequent. Prime insiders shared the next tendencies:
- Predict life occasions so you recognize when customers want a bank card earlier than they do, mentioned Brandon Rosenberg, head of bank card and banking writer media at QuinStreet, which matches on-line searchers with manufacturers in digital media, together with bank cards, banking and loans.
- Transcend providing solely generic bank card options by personalizing them with higher filters to assist customers, mentioned Andrew Naoum, govt vp of enterprise options at MoneyLion, a digital monetary platform providing companies together with bank cards and monitoring, loans and banking.
- AI’s transfer from speak to make use of was fast, mentioned Andrew Weber, managing director of Chase Card Providers, whereas Rosenberg highlighted AI’s means to create content material a lot quicker. “We’re seeing it used far more on the content material aspect. We’ve additionally spent some huge cash on proprietary instruments, however they may very well be simpler,” he mentioned.
- Naoum notes there’s loads of information obtainable. “However the query is how can we use AI to foretell how we underwrite merchandise,” he requested.
- Chase is having deep conversations with AI manufacturers to attempt various things within the bank card area because the trade evolves, mentioned Weber. “We need to attempt various things, like richer presents for our most profitable prospects. We’ll proceed on the customization path.”
What customers actually need
Chase’s Weber famous it’s his job to assist customers make good decisions. “Chase advertises 39 totally different bank cards, and we have to assist them work by means of these decisions,” he mentioned.
However there’s extra shopper information obtainable than ever, mentioned MoneyLion’s Naoum. “Credit score monitoring is the entry level for shopper [data]. Customers are keen to commerce their information for a greater expertise and to get higher merchandise to match their wants.”
Weber sees the ‘information versus privateness’ difficulty from two sides. “One, a buyer has a life change, and also you miss seeing that in obtainable information,” he mentioned. “The opposite problem is you have got a lot information about somebody you’ll be able to doubtlessly freak them out when you use it.”
The query for me is twofold: One, how a lot information will customers be comfy sharing with card issuers with the intention to entry extra focused bank card choices? And two, precisely how a lot is an excessive amount of on the subject of card issuers gleaning from customers’ information for these customized card suggestions?
An trade participant that wishes to assist individuals with no or poor credit
Common readers know that I like writing tales about those that battle with poor credit as a result of I used to be considered one of them. I used to be fortunately stunned to fulfill somebody who really desires to assist individuals with no credit score historical past or poor credit.
Ryan Duitch, founder and CEO of Arro, sat on the keynote panel, “Constructing a Card Program That Can Truly Make Cash,” together with Suzan Chaffin, govt vp, options, for LoanPro, an infrastructure platform that helps lenders and monetary establishments construct monetary merchandise.
In the course of the panel, Duitch talked about his firm’s Arro Card*, which targets these with poor credit — however with a twist. It was so attention-grabbing that, after the panel, I sat with him to study extra. The Arro Card, issued by Group Federal Financial savings Financial institution, is just like secured bank cards in that it requires a deposit of between $50 and $200. The cardboard’s variable APR begins at an inexpensive 16 p.c, in comparison with a mean of 20.12 p.c (as of Might 14, 2025), in line with Bankrate information. The cardboard permits customers to earn 1 p.c money again on gasoline and groceries, which robotically goes towards its steadiness.
However what makes the Arro Card totally different is that it begins with a tender credit score pull to determine a buyer’s baseline credit score historical past. As a substitute of utilizing the conventional FICO rating for eligibility, Arro seems at different elements, together with various information, money circulate evaluation and behavioral insights, earlier than prospects are authorised for the cardboard.
Most significantly, it presents prospects instructional instruments, goal-based incentives and AI-powered teaching that focuses on accountable spending. In flip, that helps prospects construct up their credit score scores and makes them stronger candidates for common bank cards obtainable for these with good to distinctive credit score scores. I discovered this attention-grabbing, as a result of it’s uncommon to see a card particularly for these with poor credit that comes with an academic element to assist individuals dig out and keep out of debt.
However the card isn’t excellent. Your beginning credit score restrict will solely be $50, $100 or $200, though it might rise if used responsibly. The cardboard additionally prices an annual charge of as much as $36, primarily based in your credit score restrict. These with a $200 restrict pay the complete charge, whereas these with the $50 restrict pay $12 and the $100 restrict pay $24 within the first yr ($36 per yr in subsequent years). You possibly can’t improve to an unsecured model of the cardboard, and customer support is e-mail solely.
Influencers assist transfer the needle
Bank card issuers want to fulfill individuals the place they’re, in line with Chase’s Weber. “We’ve [actor] Michael B. Jordan, [actor/comedian] Kevin Hart and [NBA player] Steph Curry representing our model,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s vital to do your due diligence on the subject of influencers, as a result of they enlarge how we do issues.”
MoneyLion’s Naoum mentioned his firm is severe about social media and influencers are a part of that. “We’ve our personal in-house content material studio and work with influencers on social media,” he mentioned.
Utilizing influencers to showcase bank cards generally is a double-edged sword. There are dozens of influencers on Instagram alone sharing bank card ideas. Educated ones I observe embrace @pointstravelher, @thepointspartner, @pointspanda, @dansdeals, and our personal @cardstaples. All of them have robust followings. Nonetheless, it solely takes one incident of misinformation or a problematic submit to trigger harm to a card issuer’s model, together with movie star ones.
Control Gen Z
Gen Z brings worth on the subject of educating cardholders on easy methods to use their advantages, mentioned Quinstreet’s Rosenberg, “They’re clear about eager to see social proof together with a powerful social media presence,” he mentioned.
However this era is extra targeted on utilizing debit playing cards, money and ‘purchase now, pay later’ (BNPL) suppliers, pushed by massive scholar mortgage funds and worries about accumulating an excessive amount of debt. Issuers might want to discover ways to straddle the road to deliver extra Gen Zers into the bank cards fold.
The underside line
I used to be impressed by CardCon’s audio system, however the largest takeaway for me was assembly the attendees. Bank cards are a giant, but in addition small trade. Having the prospect to fulfill those that drive it left me with each new story concepts and new sources that can deliver context and experience to readers sooner or later.
The details about the Arro Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The cardboard particulars haven’t been reviewed or authorised by the issuer.
