One Card. More Payment Options. Flexible Credentials Explained

The average U.S. adult carries between 5 and 8 cards, yet 74% of cardholders are indifferent or outright dissatisfied with their card experience. This isn't a retention problem. It's a product problem. And for younger generations, the stakes are even higher: 72% of Gen Z say payment flexibility directly influences their purchase decisions. If your card can't flex with them, they'll find an app that does, and you'll lose top-of-wallet without even realizing it.

How Flexible Credentials work: A technical and strategic walkthrough of real-time funding source switching across debit, credit, BNPL, and prepaid, all on a single card. Diana breaks down the three layers that make it possible: the network, Marqeta as processor, and you as program manager configuring which funding sources are available and what triggers a flex. The entire decision happens in milliseconds.

Driving top-of-wallet without more cards: How issuers are using Flexible Credentials to deepen engagement, cross-sell products, and reduce churn, without issuing additional cards. Issuers using the technology are seeing an increased volume for discretionary and non-discretionary spend, growth across both categories simultaneously.

What's already live in production: Not just a roadmap item. Marqeta is first to market with Flexible Credentials at scale, live on Visa.

What to build (and when to start): A practical look at implementation paths, decision points, and timelines. The most in-demand starting point right now is debit to BNPL, and for good reason. It has the most straightforward funding logic, minimal risk infrastructure requirements, and a faster path to launch than you might expect. For existing Marqeta customers, this is an incremental integration on infrastructure you already have.

"Don't be scared. The implementation is surprisingly light. You're not rebuilding dual-card products or reinventing the wheel. You're adding a decision layer. It's configuration, a bit of JIT logic, and some UI work, but it's not a deep platform integration." - Diana Ranchal, Solutions Engineer Director

"Consumers are already switching and routing their purchases today, just between your card and someone else's. With Flexible Credentials, all of that stays with you." - Julia McCaffrey, Key Account Manager

Flexible Credentials are live and available today. The window to be a first mover is open, and the path to launch is shorter than you think. Talk to our team about what your program could look like.