Aleta launches Hello Kitty Visa debit cards

Singapore-based fintech Aleta has launched a limited run of Aleta Sanrio Hello Kitty Visa debit cards. The offering includes 9,000 numbered physical and virtual cards and 300 metal cards to be awarded by draw. Applications are open through the Aleta Adventure app on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

The cards come in three collectible designs. Each physical card carries a unique serial number. The Hello Kitty release follows Aleta’s June launch of Cinnamoroll-themed cards and precedes a Kuromi design scheduled for November. The Hello Kitty card is priced at S$18 and comes with an initial package of registration perks.

Aleta tied several promotional benefits to the card. Every qualifying spend of S$1 or more grants one instant Spin & Win entry; each spin guarantees a prize and the top-tier reward is a trip to Sanrio Puroland in Japan scheduled for December. Cardholders can redeem points from eligible transactions for limited-edition merchandise, including Sanrio-themed cabin luggage, mahjong solitaire sets, grocery trolleys, yoga mats, dinnerware, ceramic teapots, cushions and bath towel sets. Purchases at Sanrio Shop outlets in Takashimaya and Chinatown receive a 10% merchandise discount when paid with an Aleta Adventure card.

The 300 metal Visa debit cards will be distributed by lucky draw, with eligibility linked to customers’ card spend points. Registration incentives for the Hello Kitty card include a personalised Hello Kitty drink bottle, a five-year waiver of the card’s annual fee, two tickets to the IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay, and three free days of 1GB plus unlimited data via eSIM. Customers who sign up in person at Sanrio Shop outlets and enter the store promo code during checkout can receive a 15% discount on the card.

Aleta has extended payment functionality alongside the themed cards. Its scan & pay feature, which allows cardholders to pay by scanning local QR codes abroad with zero foreign exchange fee, now covers Vietnam and South Korea. Japan support will be enabled ahead of the Kuromi card launch in November.

Aleta reported that applications for its 9,000 Cinnamoroll cards were fully applied and approved within 45 days. The company noted that the Cinnamoroll collection was popular with female customers in their 20s and 30s and expects Hello Kitty to appeal to a broader, multi-generational audience because the character has been in use since 1974.

Ryan Gwee, Aleta’s founder and group chairman, commented: “We’re thrilled to launch the Aleta Sanrio Hello Kitty Visa debit card, building on the strong demand we saw for our Cinnamoroll-themed card. Consumers retain a deep emotional connection to Sanrio characters, and they are willing to pay for a design that truly resonates with them.”

Aleta is promoting its Visa BIN sponsorship service to enterprises. As a Principal Member of Visa, the company can sponsor or lend its Bank Identification Number (BIN) to firms that want to issue co-branded or white-label Visa debit cards. A BIN is the first six to eight digits on a card and routes payments to the issuing institution. Aleta said using its BIN sponsorship and plug-and-play technology can reduce time-to-market for new card programmes to as fast as two weeks.