Definition
A corporate gift card is a gift card a business issues — to thank an employee, recognise a client, run a sales SPIFF, or pay a research participant. The card itself is identical to the consumer product; the difference is the rails around it.
It can be closed-loop (a single brand like Amazon, Bol.com, Zalando) or open-loop (a Visa or Mastercard prepaid). Both qualify as corporate gift cards as soon as they are used in a business context.
How it differs from a consumer purchase
The card on the table looks the same. The buying and reporting layer does not:
- Invoiced procurement instead of per-card card-on-file
- Bulk or API issuance instead of point-of-sale
- Per-program reporting by cost centre, campaign or country
- Multi-currency and multi-country in a single platform
Tax and compliance headlines
Most jurisdictions treat corporate gift cards under a dedicated framework: Sachbezug (Germany), WKR (Netherlands), chèque cadeau URSSAF (France), trivial benefits (UK), W-2 fringe benefits (US). Each has its own limit, recipient scope and event scope.
General information, not tax advice. For material program volumes, confirm with your accountant. See our country guides under /tax-free-gift-cards for the current limits per market.
What to look for in a provider
- Real local catalogue depth in your top markets (not a list of 180 countries that is mostly Visa prepaid)
- Real-time vs batch delivery
- API, CSV and UI — all three, not just one
- Transparent cost structure (face value only, or platform / transaction / FX fees on top)
- Audit trail and per-program reporting for finance and compliance
Frequently asked questions
Is a corporate gift card the same as a voucher?
Functionally yes — both carry a balance redeemable at one or more merchants. The difference is the business-side procurement, delivery and reporting.
Can corporate gift cards be tax-free?
In many cases yes, within local limits and frameworks (Sachbezug, WKR, URSSAF, trivial benefits). The amount, frequency and recipient type matter. See our country guides.
Can I send a corporate gift card internationally?
Yes, provided the platform offers local brands in the recipient's country. A single card that works globally rarely exists in practice — pick a vendor with real local depth.