The path to earning rewards when paying with debit has long been overshadowed by co-branded credit card offerings instead.  Recently Galileo Financial Technologies launched a new co-branded debit program, which they believe provides brands with a means of introducing rewards-based debit cards to their customers. 

The Wise Marketer™ connected with Galileo’s Chief Product Officer, David Feuer, to learn more about their new program for the debit market.   Here’s what we learned over 10 questions:

1.  You issued a press release in late February about a new way to deliver rewards on the debit card for consumers. How exactly does this work?

Galileo, SoFi’s Technology Platform, is simplifying co-brand debit programs—what typically takes other providers a year can now be done in just a few months, enabling rapid deployment of rewards-driven debit programs. Now, this week, we’re seeing that vision come to life with the launch of the Wyndham Rewards Debit Card, the first card to debut under this program.

With the U.S. debit market valued at $4.3 trillion and nearly 90% of adults using debit cards, traditional rewards programs have overlooked a significant customer base. Galileo, changes that by integrating Cyberbank Digital—our digital bank experience platform—with Galileo’s card issuing, processing, fraud protection, program management, and a robust network of sponsor bank partners, we streamline the process and enable brands to move quickly.

This approach also opens up rewards to more than 45 million U.S. adults with little or no credit history—customers who have long been excluded from loyalty benefits.

2.  What is the value proposition that consumers will see? Is it similar to card-linked offers or something different?

Consumers will earn rewards on everyday debit purchases—benefits traditionally reserved for credit card users. This isn’t just another card-linked offer; it’s a comprehensive co-brand debit rewards program that fills a longstanding gap in loyalty benefits.

3.  Tell us a little bit about Galileo. Is it a product name or line of business? Is this part of SoFi?

Galileo is SoFi’s Technology Platform that enables fintechs, financial institutions, and brands to build differentiated financial solutions. Trusted by digital banking heavyweights, traditional financial institutions, early-stage innovators, and enterprise clients alike, Galileo supports issuing physical and virtual payment cards, mobile push provisioning, tailored and differentiated financial products, and more, across industries. Galileo provides the infrastructure that makes digital payments work, including card issuing, processing, and program management. Galileo is owned and operated independently by SoFi Technologies.

4.  Can you please share a corporate overview of SoFi?

SoFi’s full suite of financial products and services helps its over 10.1 million SoFi members borrow, save, spend, invest, and protect their money better by giving them fast access to the tools they need to get their money right, all in one app. SoFi innovates across three business segments: Lending, Financial Services – which includes SoFi Checking and Savings, SoFi Invest, SoFi Credit Card, SoFi Protect, and SoFi Insights – and Technology Platform, which offers the only end-to-end vertically integrated financial technology stack. SoFi Bank, N.A., an affiliate of SoFi, is a nationally chartered bank, regulated by the OCC and FDIC and SoFi is a bank holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve.

5.    How will this new product better serve the underserved 45 million U.S. adults with little or no credit history who are unable to access traditional rewards programs?

Galileo’s co-brand debit rewards program offers brands a financial inclusion opportunity by extending loyalty perks to consumers long excluded from traditional rewards. By enabling rewards on everyday debit transactions, we transform routine purchases into valuable benefits for these customers. 

6.  Your press release stated, “With Galileo’s infrastructure, brands can create and launch customized debit rewards programs in months instead of a year or more, offering customers meaningful perks while maintaining full control over the experience.” How are you able to launch so much more efficiently and quickly?

We can help brands launch at internet speed because our integrated platform brings together Cyberbank Digital with our card issuing, processing, fraud protection, and program management, all under one roof. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple vendors and streamlines the entire process, reducing what used to take other providers over a year down to just a few months.

7.  Related to the above, how is your product impacting the customer experience?

We’re helping brands bring loyalty programs and rewards to an underserved segment that hasn’t been able to participate before. This benefits both brands, that can now engage more deeply with this audience, and people who spend with debit, who can now earn rewards on everyday spending.

8.  “Galileo is pioneering a co-brand debit rewards program in the hospitality sector—an approach not seen before in this market.” Are you focused solely on the travel loyalty sector? Where else are you seeing the application of this new product?

Our initial focus on hospitality and travel was driven by market demand in sectors where debit cards are often used for everyday purchases. However, our program is available for any industry. We’re already seeing strong interest from retail and other sectors, as our approach allows brands to tailor the program to their specific needs. We’re letting the market and our customers and prospects define where they take these programs. Our expertise combined with the brands’ understanding of their market, customers, and prospects creates a great partnership.

9.  If you can share any more stats about debit card spending, it would be helpful, e.g., “Debit card spending exceeds $4 trillion annually.”

Debit card spending in the U.S. exceeds $4.3 trillion a year. More than 90% of U.S. adults have a debit card, yet much of that spend isn’t being rewarded. Co-branded debit rewards represent a massive opportunity for brands to engage their customers in a new way.

10. Why is this so important in a time when legislation has already restricted debit card rewards through interchange reduction and more is pending for the credit card business?

Our solution is critical because it enables brands to quickly launch rewards-driven debit programs that capture an enormous, untapped demand in today’s fast-paced market. For years, large banks used their scale to create favorable rewards programs, but the Durbin amendment shifted the economics, rendering many of those programs unviable. Now, we leverage our own scale as a financial services hub—with millions of customers and strong bank partnerships—to deliver these programs quickly.

I’ve seen customer expectations evolve in industries like retail, travel, and hospitality, where offers and pricing change rapidly. A rewards program that takes more than a year to launch simply doesn’t meet these demands. Our agile approach lets brands offer meaningful rewards on everyday debit transactions, addressing a huge market opportunity while driving financial inclusion.

About David

David Feuer, Chief Product Officer, joined Galileo after a six-year run at Google Cloud Platform. Prior to Google, Feuer ran the Platforms & Strategies practice at a boutique consulting firm, designing and implementing developer programs for Fortune 100 companies. He also led enterprise telecommunications product development and software engineering at IDT and Net2Phone and started his career as an embedded software development engineer. David is a graduate of the Yeshiva University.