Andrii N.
·
Mar 20, 2025
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3 min read
Mobile World Congress Barcelona is one of the biggest tech events in Europe, bringing together tech companies, startups and innovators from around the globe. This year, it attracted over 109,000 attendees from 205+ countries, with 28,000+ businesses represented.
Amidst the buzz on applied AI, sustainability, and emerging technologies like quantum computing, one central theme shaped our discussions: the future of customer loyalty and engagement.
The way brands build relationships with customers is changing. The shift from generic loyalty programs to gamification, personalization, and Web3-driven incentives is shaping the agenda in 2025.
The Next Wave of Loyalty
This year’s MWC made one thing clear: loyalty programs are evolving fast. Brands are no longer just rewarding transactions—they're creating engaging and value-driven experiences. Here’s what stood out to us:
Gamification is no longer optional
Customers expect more than just points and discounts. Game mechanics—like challenges (missions), leaderboards, and instant rewards drive deeper engagement and long-term retention. Businesses that invest in gamified loyalty enjoy higher participation rates, stronger brand affinity, and increased repeated purchases.
Tiered loyalty programs are in high demand
Loyalty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Tiered (level-based) programs are favoured by brands because they provide a sense of exclusivity and progression to the customers. Participants respond well to rank-based incentives, whether it’s VIP perks, cashback, or personalized rewards that recognize their commitment over time. This majorly contributes to brand stickiness.
Businesses seek seamless loyalty integration
Loyalty solutions need to work with existing ecosystems. Companies are prioritizing plug-and-play integrations with minimal friction, ensuring that rewards programs fit smoothly into their apps or web platforms. The easier the integration, the faster brands can launch and scale engagement.
Web3 tokenization is reshaping incentives
Web3 is driving new possibilities for digital-savvy businesses — creating engagment models that are decentralized, competitive, and driven by digital ownership. Tokenization takes loyalty further by allowing brands to create their own digital currency increasing perceived value and flexibility.
Cross-brand redemption remains crucial for customer reach and discovery
Brands are increasingly tapping into partner ecosystems, allowing customers to redeem rewards across multiple companies. This brings clear dividends: wider reach, complementary offerings, smarter targeting, and stronger retention through shared customer insights and diverse rewards.
What's Next For Enable3
MWC25 Barcelona was an invaluable opportunity to re-connect with our partners, clients, prospects and industry experts.
It has also reinforced our vision for the future of loyalty — by focusing on aligning interests, providing value-driven rewards, and creating avenues for engagement with gamification brands can transform connections with customers.
The challenge is to drive results and continue innovating in the loyalty space—one we’re excited to navigate with Enable3.
