Yoyo Rewards outlined the stored-value ledger, redemption and integration functions behind physical and digital gift cards. Its guide focuses on consistent balances across point-of-sale systems, ecommerce and mobile channels, alongside rules for different reward programmes.

The company's guide describes a prepaid balance recorded in a central system. At redemption, the point-of-sale system submits a request, the available funds are checked and the ledger is updated for the amount spent. Reloading, where supported, adds value to the same record.

Yoyo distinguishes retailer-specific products from network-branded prepaid cards that operate through card-network arrangements. It also describes balance access through stores, apps or WhatsApp and the ability to deactivate eligible lost or stolen cards.

For program operators, the company recommends separate rules for redemption, expiry, usage and eligibility across gift, promotional, employee reward and loyalty products. It argues for connecting the same balance record to ecommerce, point of sale, customer systems and mobile channels.

The guide cites an estimated$1.64 billion for South Africa's gift card market in 2026. That figure is presented as a market projection in Yoyo's article, not a reported total for completed 2026 transactions.

Yoyo also identifies redemption reporting and customer activity as useful operational data. Its central distinction is between the prepaid value held in a ledger and the physical or digital gift card used to access that value.