MoneyMe (ASX: MME) has signed a long-term partnership agreement with Luxury Escapes to become the exclusive issuer of the MoneyMe Luxury Escapes Credit Card in Australia. The deal positions the digital lender as the sole co-brand issuing partner for one of Australia’s largest travel brands, which has over 9 million members globally. Launch is targeted for the first half of 2026.
The partnership grants MoneyMe distribution access to Luxury Escapes’ substantial customer base without incurring direct customer acquisition costs. Luxury Escapes will handle marketing and promotion of the credit card to its members, while MoneyMe will manage the end-to-end credit card programme, including originations, servicing, and funding. The collaboration aims to deliver what both parties describe as a best-in-class rewards offering structured around travel, accommodation, and getaway loyalty benefits.
MoneyMe secures exclusive credit card deal with Luxury Escapes
The MoneyMe Luxury Escapes Credit Card represents MoneyMe’s first formal entry into the co-brand credit card space. Under the exclusive agreement, MoneyMe will be responsible for all aspects of credit card management, while Luxury Escapes leverages its brand strength and member engagement to drive uptake.
The arrangement is structured as a long-term partnership, though specific revenue-sharing terms or financial projections have not been disclosed in the announcement.
Luxury Escapes operates one of Australia’s largest travel platforms with a strong domestic presence. The 9 million-plus global membership base provides MoneyMe with immediate access to a large, engaged audience that already demonstrates spending patterns aligned with travel and lifestyle purchases.
This customer segment fits MoneyMe’s stated focus on premium, experience-focused consumers.
The targeted H1 2026 launch gives both parties approximately six months to finalise product design, regulatory approvals, and marketing strategies. MoneyMe already operates a credit card platform as part of its existing product suite, which includes car loans and personal loans, providing the infrastructure foundation for the co-branded offering.
“We are excited to partner with Luxury Escapes as we continue to expand our credit card platform and deepen engagement with premium, experience-focused customers. This partnership represents the first in a planned series of initiatives as part of our strategic expansion into the co-brand credit card space, which we believe has been underserved and represents a compelling opportunity in market.”
Clayton Howes, Managing Director and CEO
How co-brand credit cards work
Co-brand credit cards involve a partnership between a consumer-facing brand and a financial institution that issues the card and manages the credit facility. The brand partner provides customer access and handles marketing, while the issuer underwrites credit risk, funds the portfolio, and manages servicing operations.
This model benefits both parties. The brand partner extends its value proposition into financial services without needing banking licences or credit expertise.
The issuer gains cost-efficient customer acquisition by tapping into an established customer base with pre-existing brand loyalty, reducing the need for expensive advertising campaigns to attract new cardholders.
For MoneyMe, the arrangement means Luxury Escapes bears primary responsibility for customer education and promotional activity, while MoneyMe controls the credit decisioning process and receivables book. This structure allows the digital lender to scale its credit card portfolio without proportionally increasing marketing spend.
| Partner | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Luxury Escapes | Marketing, promotion, brand presence, member access |
| MoneyMe | Originations, servicing, funding, technology platform, credit risk management |
Strategic rationale and expansion ambitions
The Luxury Escapes partnership is the first in what MoneyMe has described as a planned series of co-brand initiatives. CEO Clayton Howes stated the company views the co-brand credit card space as underserved in the Australian market, presenting what he characterised as a compelling opportunity.
MoneyMe’s competitive positioning in this space rests on two capabilities: its technology-first approach and its status as a principal issuer. As a principal issuer, MoneyMe holds the credit risk on its own balance sheet rather than acting as a broker or white-label provider for a larger institution.
This gives the company direct control over credit policy, pricing, and portfolio management, enabling faster decision-making and product customisation.
The company’s existing technology platform supports near real-time credit decisioning and rapid loan settlements, infrastructure that can be adapted for credit card originations. This technical foundation reduces the implementation timeline and operational complexity of launching co-branded products compared to building systems from scratch.
Targeting premium, experience-focused customers aligns with MoneyMe’s broader positioning as a digital challenger focused on above-average credit profiles. The Luxury Escapes customer base skews towards consumers who prioritise travel and lifestyle spending, demographics that typically demonstrate stronger credit metrics and higher spending capacity.
“This co-branded credit card leverages our technology-first approach and principal issuer capabilities to deliver a differentiated rewards proposition, while supporting Luxury Escapes’ strong brand and loyal customer base. Strategic partnerships like this gives us the ability to scale efficiently, create value for customers and our respective businesses, and accelerate our position as a leading digital challenger delivering bank-beating credit experiences.”
Clayton Howes, Managing Director and CEO
Rewards structure and product positioning
The MoneyMe Luxury Escapes Credit Card will feature a rewards programme structured around travel, accommodation, and getaway loyalty benefits. Specific reward rates, earn mechanisms, and redemption structures have not been disclosed, but the focus on travel-related rewards creates clear differentiation from generic cashback or points-based credit cards.
This rewards alignment directly matches Luxury Escapes’ core business proposition. Members already using the platform to book travel and accommodation experiences receive additional incentives to consolidate spending onto the co-branded card, potentially increasing both card usage frequency and average transaction values.
Key reward categories expected to feature:
- Travel booking rewards
- Accommodation purchase benefits
- Getaway loyalty programme integration
MoneyMe and Luxury Escapes have positioned the offering as “best-in-class”, though competitive benchmarking against existing travel credit cards from major banks and other fintechs will be critical to market reception. The success of the rewards structure will depend on both the generosity of earn rates and the ease of redemption within the Luxury Escapes ecosystem.
“Partnering with MONEYME allows us to extend the Luxury Escapes experience beyond travel and into everyday spend. This co-branded credit card rewards our members for doing what they already love, while delivering a seamless and premium payments experience aligned with our brand.”
Adam Schwab, Co-Founder and CEO, Luxury Escapes
What to watch for in 2026
The H1 2026 launch window represents the first major milestone for this partnership. Actual launch timing, initial customer uptake metrics, and early portfolio performance will provide the first evidence of execution capability and market demand.
Key metrics investors should monitor following launch include card approval rates, receivables growth within the Luxury Escapes portfolio segment, customer acquisition costs relative to other channels, and early indicators of credit performance. MoneyMe’s quarterly reporting should begin including co-brand portfolio metrics once the product goes live, allowing comparison against the company’s direct-to-consumer credit card book.
The partnership’s success or challenges will inform MoneyMe’s ability to secure additional co-brand deals. Management has explicitly framed this as the first in a planned series, suggesting the company is pursuing a co-brand strategy as a material growth channel rather than a one-off opportunity.
Upcoming milestones to track:
- Credit card launch (H1 2026) – Actual launch date and any delays relative to target
- Initial customer uptake metrics – Application volumes, approval rates, early adoption by Luxury Escapes members
- Potential announcement of additional co-brand partnerships – Validation of the repeatable model thesis
Luxury Escapes’ co-operation in driving member awareness and promotional support will be equally important. The brand partner’s willingness to actively market the card through its channels, feature it prominently in customer communications, and integrate it into its booking platform will directly influence uptake rates and portfolio scaling velocity.
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