Runa has drawn attention to gift card growth expectations in the Incentive Marketing Association’s 2025 global research on incentives and recognition. Its April 25 article examines the report’s implications for businesses selecting and distributing rewards.

In the figures Runa attributes to the report, 63% of executives considered gift cards highly important to client initiatives, and 61% expected growth in gift card incentives. The findings reflect executives' expectations in the 2025 survey.

The article also highlights choice within the category. Among executives matching the IGCC profile, universal and multistore gift cards were among the formats expected to grow. That distinction is relevant to program operators deciding between a single retailer and a broader redemption proposition.

Points-based mechanisms and achievement recognition feature prominently in the report as described by Runa. Gift cards can provide the redemption element within those programs, while the earning rules and recognition occasions remain part of the program design.

Operational concerns accompany the demand outlook. Runa cites fraud prevention, regulatory compliance and technology updates as challenges, and identifies API-based solutions and digital delivery among the industry trends discussed in the research.

Runa connects the report's emphasis on integration and choice to its API and Payout Link, which lets recipients select how to use a reward. The company also highlights digital delivery, program security and reporting as parts of its offering.