International eGift Cards: How To Approach Global Incentive Programs

👉 Do you need international eGift cards? You might think any USD reward from global brands like Apple and Airbnb could be used anywhere they operate. But while they might work occasionally, it’s more likely your international recipients will end up with rewards that are difficult to redeem.

💡 If your program relies on digital gift cards and you're expanding internationally, your best bet is a trusted, transparent gift card platform with a global catalog. Look for one with flexible currency options, along with experience sending rewards to multiple regions.

Sending international eGift cards isn't as straightforward as you might think.

Yes, it’s technically easy to click a button and send some digital rewards to a global audience.

But that doesn’t mean you can expect those digital rewards to actually work.

Currency differences, regional restrictions, and retailer limitations can create significant unexpected challenges—especially for businesses managing incentive programs. And sending a faulty reward can undo the entire program and all the work that’s gone into it.

That’s why it’s smart to work with a global gift card distributor. Find the right partner, and you’ll be able to sidestep any of the hassles usually associated with global sending.

In this article, we’ll cover how international eGift cards work, which ones are best for global rewards programs, and the simplest ways to send them to recipients anywhere in the world.

Jump to list of popular global digital gift cards 💳

At a glance: Best options for global eGift card programs

Can e-Gift cards be used internationally?

👉 A brand might be global, but that doesn’t mean every international outlet will accept their digital gift cards. Be sure to read the fine print before starting any global program. Otherwise, you’ll risk sending a reward that leaves your recipients empty-handed.

Google ‘international gift card,’ and you’ll find lots of listicles of so-called gift cards for international use. Be sure to read between the lines—because these lists aren’t always as accurate as they seem.

Yes, the right eGift cards can be used internationally. But it’s not so simple.

Let’s say, for example, that a gift card provider you’re assessing has Sephora gift cards (most of us do). Sephora is a popular international brand, with physical stores in many countries, ranging from Brazil to Poland, Australia to Malaysia, and beyond.

But here’s the thing: if you are in the US and sending that card to recipients in a different country, even a country that has Sephora, there’s no guarantee that your recipients will be able to claim it at their local Sephora. It might work, or it might not—and are you willing to take that gamble?

In short, you can’t reliably send a Sephora US card internationally and be sure it’s going to work for your international recipients. The country of the card issuer matters.

Of course, you’ll be able to email or text any card to whomever you like, but that doesn’t mean it’ll actually be redeemable.

That’s why it’s smart to be wary of any gift card company that simply says, ‘hey look at all these global brands in our catalog, like Ikea, Amazon, and iTunes gift cards … just buy one and start sending it abroad to whoever you like!’

💬 “There’s no shortcut to sending global gift cards. You might be able to send something like a Starbucks gift card from one country to another, and it might end up working—or it might not,” says Giftbit CCO Nat Salvione. “It’s a roll of the dice, and is that a risk you really want to take with your program?”

And not only is taking a ‘try it and see’ approach a roll of the dice. It’s a roll of the dice at the most crucial moment of your incentive program.

That’s because business incentive programs really only work if people actually enjoy their incentives. And they’re certainly not going to enjoy an eGift card that fails them at the checkout stage.

💬 “Having a reward that works ensures the recipient is happy,” says Nat. “It capstones your entire program.”

There’s also the question of whether you should send eGift cards to your recipients. Amazon gift cards work exceptionally well for many of our clients with primarily American and Canadian recipients. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the most popular gift card in other countries.

Of course, none of this means that you can’t use gift cards for global business programs, like for employee rewards or sales incentives.

But it does mean you’ll need to be smarter about which cards you send, and how you send them.

At a glance: what can go wrong with unreliable global gift card delivery

Digital gift cards and prepaid cards that ACTUALLY work internationally

So far, we’ve covered how it’s technically easy to send eGift cards internationally, but also really easy to run into all sorts of activation issues, too.

🙌 Thankfully, there’s also an incredibly easy way to avoid every possible issue you might face.

💬 “What you really need is a skilled gift card aggregator that can help you put together the right catalog for each region you’re sending to,” says Nat.

It’s that skilled aggregator that’s going to help you navigate currency complexities and exchange rates, brand acceptance, and redemption pitfalls.

And they’ll also give you access to the types of digital options that actually work internationally: a global open-loop card and a curated international catalog.

One open-loop card to rule them all

For many programs looking to simplify things with one global eCard, the USD Virtual Prepaid Mastercard offers a great solution.

This is a prepaid card that can be sent and spent anywhere that Mastercard is accepted. It gives your recipients the freedom to spend their funds on what they want most—whether online purchases, paying for services, or shopping in-store. It’s an excellent choice when you want to offer complete flexibility.

Note: In industry-speak, the Giftbit prepaid Mastercard is not a ‘gift card.’ It’s a prepaid card, which means it’s loaded with a balance (say, $25) that can be used anywhere that payment network is accepted. A Visa® prepaid card works anywhere Visa cards are accepted, etc.

For a list of all the countries that accept the Giftbit USD Virtual Prepaid Mastercard, see here.

Global gifting options that really deliver

A truly “global” catalog isn’t just a bunch of fancy global brand names—it’s a collection of locally valid options that work for recipients in the country where they live.

For example, folks in the UK should be able to receive a UK digital gift card, while those in Brazil need options that work in Brazil. They should have access to popular local brands alongside the global ones. And program managers shouldn’t have to scramble looking for the right gift card for every audience they might have.

The solution is simple: work with a platform like Giftbit that lets you pick which brand or brands your audience has access to.

Program managers will often curate what brands they offer their audience when they want to align their company with a popular brand.

Curated lists can also help accomplish specific goals. If your core audience is gamers, for example, your American recipients might be enticed by gift cards to brands like Roblox and Xbox, while those in India want EPIC ON.

As an example, Molly Quinn, Managing Director of Marketing & Communications at Distinctive Schools, likes to send her teachers a Starbucks gift card before online meetings, encouraging everyone to treat themselves to a delivered coffee. It’s a simple, thoughtful gift with impact.

💬 “Teachers love coffee, so that’s easy!” she says. “Even just a cup of coffee has been a nice gesture.”

That said, if you have recipients in multiple countries, you likely don’t want to spend time researching what brands are popular where.

So to reduce internal burden, you’ll want to consider offering your recipients full recipient choice from a region-specific catalog (so those United Kingdom folks would only see UK brands, those in Brazil would only see Brazilian brands, etc).

Offering multiple digital prepaid cards and gift cards in each region will give your recipients the freedom to pick what’s most popular or meaningful to them, in their own market. 

You’ll avoid guesswork, reduce the risk of confusion, and deliver a positive experience your recipients will remember. 👍

That’s why, more and more, Molly has started giving her recipients full choice from the Giftbit catalog.

💬 “My favorite thing is giving people a reward that you know they want,” she says. “By offering them the choice, it’s not so prescriptive. We’re able to honor and appreciate them, while also allowing them to have some voice and choice in what they receive.”

Like we’ll cover next, the best way to utilize all these reward options is to partner with a gift card distributor that offers localized catalogs for the countries you want to send to, so you aren’t stuck figuring out which brands are relevant (or even redeemable) there.

Better still if that partner can handle currency conversions and streamline your digital payouts across borders, too.

That way, instead of wrestling with endless terms and conditions, you’ll be free to focus on optimizing your program.

For inspiration, here are some of the most popular types of gift cards by region, based on internal Giftbit data:

🇺🇸 In the US, popular digital gift card reward options include Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and Dunkin’. 

🇨🇦 In Canada, popular digital gift card reward options include Esso and Mobil, Amazon.ca, Apple, Indigo, and Sobeys. 

Related: See why gas and grocery cards make such great digital gift card rewards

🇦🇺 In Australia, popular digital gift card reward options include Big W, Bunnings, Coles, and Youfoodz.

🇧🇷 In the Brazil, popular digital gift card reward options include Netshoes, Casas Bahia, C&A, and Petlove. 

 🇫🇷 In France, popular digital gift card reward options include Adidas, Airbnb, and Amazon.fr. 

🇩🇪 In Germany, popular digital gift card options include Asos, Calzedonia, FlixBus, Hema, and Uber Eats.

🇬🇧 In Great Britain, popular digital gift card reward options include Nando's, Amazon.co.uk, Marks and Spencer, Nike, and Zizzi.

🇮🇳 In India, popular digital gift card reward options include Bigbasket, BookMyShow, Barbeque Nation. and Costa Coffee.

🇮🇪 In Ireland, popular digital gift card reward options include Currys, Halfords, Tesco, and TK Maxx. 

🇮🇹 In Italy, popular digital gift card reward options include MANGO, Amazon.it, Carrefour, and Spotify.

🇲🇽 In Mexico, popular digital gift card reward options include Uber, Amazon.com.mx, Blizzard, and Liverpool.

🇳🇱 In the Netherlands, popular digital gift card reward options include H&M, Adidas, bol.com, and Doenkado.

🇳🇿 In New Zealand, popular digital gift card reawrd options include Xbox, JB Hi-Fi, Michael Hill, and Supercheap Auto. 

🇪🇸 In Spain, popular digital gift card reward options include JACK & JONES, Amazon.es, Nintendo eShop, and Zalando. 

🇨🇭 In Switzerland, popular digital gift card reward options include Lego, Game World, MediaMarket, and Ticketcorner. 

The best options for sending eGift cards to recipients in different countries

👉 The best option for sending eGift cards to recipients in different countries is to use a platform that provides transparent pricing and detailed reports, flexible delivery, and robust currency support. This will allow you to easily scale your global rewards program, all without hidden fees or tedious conversion hassles.

Not every gift card provider is created equal—even the ones that promise a global catalog. Even platforms that offer lots of international brands can leave you guessing about costs, claim rates, delivery specifics, or currency requirements.

So if you really want the ability to buy gift cards and scale your program worldwide, look for a partner with three core capabilities:

1. Transparent pricing and reporting

Clear, detailed reporting is crucial for any global incentive program. You really don’t want to wrangle vague invoices or hidden fees across multiple currencies—and you really shouldn’t have to.

Of course you need to track how much you spend and how much you send, but there’s another key factor at play, too—recipient claim status. If you can’t see if people are actually redeeming your rewards, you won’t know how effective your program is (and pro-tip: look for a transparent company that will share some of the revenue from unclaimed cards back with you).

Ultimately, it’s this full picture that let you stay on top of ROI, streamline audits, and confidently expand into new markets.

2. Flexible delivery options

Think about how recipients will actually receive your digital rewards. Maybe you want to send an email link. Maybe you want a QR code your international sales team can use at trade shows. Maybe you want a direct integration with your own app that automates mass gift card fulfillment across dozens of countries.

The best providers will help you deliver whatever types of gift cards you want, however you want to deliver them.

That means they should offer a powerful, user-friendly, self-serve gift card platform that’s easy to integrate into your existing workflows (think: a quick Zapier connection that connects reward sending to your HubSpot or Salesforce account).

And they should also give you free access to a robust gift card API with reliably high uptime. This is what you’ll use to automate large-scale reward programs, embed incentives directly into your app or platform, and/or completely customize your reward delivery.

3. Currency support and international wires

Finally, you’ll also want flexibility when it comes to international payments.

There are some gift card aggregators that require their customers to set up a separate bank account in every country where they want to send rewards.

As you’d imagine, this is costly, time intensive, and ultimately chaotic, even if you’re just planning to send to one other country. Who wants to go through the hassle and hurdles of setting up another bank account, let alone a foreign one?

So you’ll want to find a gift card aggregator that lets you manage your rewards from your one account, wherever you bank is located. You should be able to fund your account in your preferred currency (i.e., EUR, AUD, MXN, GBP, etc.), and transfer funds directly.

Better still, if your provider accepts international wires in multiple currencies, you won’t be stuck converting Euros to dollars, for example, just to load your account. That’s one less headache and a lot fewer transaction fees, making your entire digital payout process a lot smoother.

With these three pillars in place—transparent pricing, flexible delivery, and robust currency support—you can more easily and confidently build a global incentive program that actually works. You’ll save yourself the trouble of ever wondering, did that card work in Australia?, or was that gift accepted in Brazil?

In short, you’ll be free to focus on the big-picture goals of rewarding and engaging your international audience.✌️

How virtual international gift cards and prepaid cards are delivered

When you’re ready to send rewards across borders, you’ll want flexible delivery methods at your fingertips.

Of course, you could try to source and manage gift cards for each country you serve, mailing physical gift cards or wrangling messy spreadsheets to track digital one—but that’s time-consuming and prone to error.

Instead, partnering with an aggregator will simplify sending both bulk orders and one-off rewards. With a single link or set of codes, you’ll be able to send electronic gift cards and prepaid cards to thousands of recipients at once, freeing you to focus on your core objectives.

Specifically, you’ll be able to deliver digital rewards via:

• Email delivery: Send unique links right to each recipient’s inbox.
• Mobile delivery (text/SMS): Deliver codes via text, so recipients can redeem on the go.
• Slack or other platforms (via Zapier): Let your team or recipients redeem rewards where they already communicate.
• Social DMs: Send private reward links through LinkedIn, or other platforms.
• QR codes: Make redemption as simple as scanning with a phone—no typing needed.
• API integrations: Automate reward flows or embed incentives into your existing apps, ensuring seamless, real-time delivery.

By combining these options, you’ll provide a consistent, convenient experience for recipients around the world—all while eliminating the busywork and headaches of traditional gift card distribution, too.

Why use gift cards for sales incentives and other business programs?

Gift cards are an incredibly effective way to reward employees, customers, and partners for the same reason they make great personal gifts for loved ones—because they offer flexibility and instant gratification.

For businesses operating in different countries, international e-Gift cards simplify global rewards by eliminating currency conversion issues and shipping delays. By using a reliable gift card provider, companies can seamlessly integrate incentives into their programs while ensuring recipients get rewards they can actually use.

 But why would you want to bother setting up an international gift card sales incentive program, anyway?

Because gift cards are one of the simplest, most memorable ways to motivate sales teams and other recipients across the globe.

Unlike cash bonuses, which can feel like just another paycheck, gift cards create a tangible reward experience.

Better still, these rewards work for virtually any program—whether you’re running a customer loyalty campaign, employee rewards initiative, or market research project. Digital gift cards keep everything streamlined, so you’re not stuck shipping physical items, juggling clunky logistics, or wasting hours looking for the ‘perfect gift.’

They’re also easier to track and scale, giving you quick insight into usage and ROI. You can offer them in multiple denominations (as low as a penny or as high as $2500), and choose whether you’ll send rewards with expiration dates or not.

And with a few clicks, you can deliver all them to recipients worldwide, freeing yourself up to focus on the real goals of your incentive program.

Giftbit simplifies all aspects of sending international eGift cards for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Create your free account now to get started.

Any questions? Book a quick chat with our specialists.