Increasing card usage isn’t about one big campaign or a perfectly timed incentive. It’s built over time, through intentional, data‑informed engagement that shows up consistently across the cardholder lifecycle. The issuers that outperform aren’t chasing one‑off spikes; they’re shaping habits.

As financial institutions look to refine their credit card acquisition approach by capitalizing on what TransUnion referred to as “a return to equilibrium” in its Q1 2025 Credit Industry Insights Report, choosing between Invitation to Apply (ITA) and Pre-Screened offers is more than a tactical decision; it’s strategic. Let’s review each...