Cosmo vs Ascenda, Points.com and Currency Alliance
Four platforms that help add loyalty partners to cards and apps, each built for a different buyer. This comparison covers what each platform is, who it serves, and how it is bought, so teams at banks, fintechs, and wallets can choose the right fit.
Last reviewed: October 2026
How the platforms compare
 | Ascenda | Points.com | Currency Alliance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Global loyalty partnerships network, powering reward issuance and unified settlement | White-label rewards platform and redemption catalog | Loyalty commerce platform, owned by Plusgrade | SaaS loyalty partnerships platform for brands, with a points and miles exchange |
| Primary buyer | Banks, fintechs, wallets, card issuers | Banks and card issuers | Airline and hotel loyalty programs | Loyalty programs and consumer brands |
| How it is bought | Modular. Use any combination of Cosmo contracts, integration and settlement, or bring your own contracts | Bundled: commercials, technology and settlement in one product | Bundled platform | SaaS platform, priced as a fee on points exchanged |
| Co-brands | One integration covers any number of co‑brands, launched on demand | Powers co-brands, with a separate integration per co-brand | Powers co-brands, with a separate integration per co-brand | Not offered publicly |
| Multi-program card | Yes. One card earns across several programs (Multibrand, US patent 12,597,048) | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Markup | Disclosed to both the bank and the loyalty partner | Not published | Not published | Published fee, charged to the brand |
| Setup and management fees | None: no setup, platform, licence or monthly fees, and no prefunding | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Settlement | Run by Cosmo in one monthly statement, or directly between the parties | Monthly | Monthly | Automated settlement or consolidated invoices |
| Best fit for | Issuers that want to launch and manage programs across any number of loyalty partners from one integration | Banks that want a hosted redemption catalog | Loyalty programs selling points to consumers | Brands building earn and burn partnerships |
When Cosmo is the right fit
Choose the parts you need
Use any combination of Cosmo contracts, integration and settlement, and keep your own contracts where you already have them.
Launch more than one co-brand
Integrate once, then launch any number of co-brands on demand.
Earn across several programs on one card
Multibrand lets one card earn across several loyalty programs. US patent 12,597,048 B2 ↗
See the markup
The Cosmo markup is disclosed to both the bank and the loyalty partner.
When another platform may fit better
Ascenda
Banks that want a hosted redemption catalog
Points.com
Loyalty programs selling points to consumers
Currency Alliance
Brands building earn and burn partnerships
Comparison questions, answered.
What is an alternative to Ascenda, Points.com or Currency Alliance for banks?
Cosmo is an alternative built for issuers: banks, fintechs, wallets and card issuers that issue rewards into loyalty programs. It is a global loyalty partnerships network, powering reward issuance and unified settlement, bought modularly, so teams use any combination of Cosmo contracts, integration and settlement, or bring their own contracts. One integration covers any number of co-brands, Multibrand lets one card earn across several programs, and the Cosmo markup is disclosed to both the bank and the loyalty partner.
How is Cosmo different from Ascenda?
Ascenda is a white-label rewards platform and redemption catalog, sold as a bundled product. Cosmo is a global loyalty partnerships network, powering reward issuance and unified settlement, bought modularly: banks can use any combination of Cosmo contracts, integration and settlement, or bring their own contracts. One Cosmo integration covers any number of co-brands, and Multibrand lets one card earn across several programs.
How is Cosmo different from Points.com?
Points.com is a loyalty commerce platform, owned by Plusgrade, built mainly for airline and hotel loyalty programs selling points to consumers. Cosmo is built for issuers: banks, fintechs, wallets and card issuers that issue rewards into loyalty programs. One Cosmo integration covers any number of co-brands, and Multibrand lets one card earn across several programs.
How is Cosmo different from Currency Alliance?
Currency Alliance is a SaaS loyalty partnerships platform for loyalty programs and consumer brands building earn and burn partnerships, with a points and miles exchange. Cosmo is built for issuers: banks, fintechs, wallets and card issuers that issue rewards into loyalty programs. One Cosmo integration covers any number of co-brands, and Multibrand lets one card earn across several programs.
Which loyalty platform supports a multi-program card?
Cosmo supports multi-program cards through Multibrand, protected by US patent 12,597,048. One card earns across several loyalty programs, and the cardholder chooses how rewards are split.
Does Cosmo charge setup or management fees?
No. Cosmo charges no setup fee, no monthly minimum, no platform or licence fee and no fee for loyalty programs to join, and requires no prefunding. Its only revenue is one markup on each transfer, disclosed to both the bank and the loyalty program.
Is the Cosmo markup disclosed?
Yes. The Cosmo markup is disclosed to both the bank and the loyalty partner.
Competitor information is based on each company's public websites and announcements as of October 2026. Product names, logos and trademarks belong to their respective owners.