Co-Brand Launch Journey
Six-stage sequence from signed agreement to public launch of a co-brand card program.
Overview
This page describes the full journey from agreement signing to public launch and ongoing operations: what happens at each stage, what Wirex provides, what is required from the partner, and the typical timelines involved.
Timelines are indicative and vary with scope and readiness. Stages 3 and 4 apply only to programs that include plastic cards.
| Stage | Focus | Indicative duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Commercial alignment & onboarding | Agreements and onboarding | See Partner Onboarding |
| 2. Scheme approval (BMAS) | Visa design and program approval | 1.5–2.5 months |
| 3. Card production | Plastic card manufacturing | ~3–4 weeks to stock |
| 4. Packaging production | Carrier, envelope, or custom packaging | 2–8 weeks, runs in parallel |
| 5. Friends & family testing | Controlled internal testing | ~1.5 weeks |
| 6. Marketing & public launch | Go-live and promotion | Next business day after sign-off |
Stage 1: Commercial Alignment & Onboarding
The partner completes onboarding and signs commercial agreements with Wirex.
Prerequisites for this stage are covered in Partner Eligibility Criteria and Partner Onboarding.
Stage 2: Scheme Approval (BMAS)
BMAS is Visa's Brand Management Approval System. No card artwork can go to production before the BMAS case is approved.
| Step | Owner | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wirex shares the BMAS form and virtual/plastic design templates | Wirex | 1 day |
| Partner completes the BMAS form and shares virtual/plastic designs | Partner | Partner-dependent |
| Wirex reviews and submits the BMAS case to Visa | Wirex | Up to 3 days |
| Visa review period | Visa | 1–2 months |
| Final card artwork approvals after BMAS approval | Wirex, Partner, Visa | 1–1.5 weeks |
Artwork must follow Card Design Requirements before submission. Incomplete or non-compliant artwork extends the Visa review period.
Stage 3: Card Production
Applies to plastic cards only.
| Step | Owner | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Card production supplier aligns the design with Visa and confirms batch quantity | Supplier | ~1.5 weeks |
| Supplier provides the final budget after Visa confirmation | Supplier | Up to 3 days |
| Partner completes 100% prepayment, including Wirex mark-up | Partner | Partner-dependent |
| Supplier confirms the stock availability date | Supplier | Up to 1 week |
Batch sizes, materials, add-on costs, and proofs are described in Card Production & Ordering.
Stage 4: Packaging Production
Runs in parallel with card production when the program includes plastic cards.
| Step | Owner |
|---|---|
| Wirex shares packaging onboarding guidance | Wirex |
| Partner prepares custom packaging designs | Partner |
| Wirex confirms templates and pricing with the packaging supplier (~1 week) | Wirex |
| Partner confirms the budget and completes full prepayment, including Wirex mark-up | Partner |
| Packaging supplier confirms stock readiness (~1 week after payment) | Supplier |
Packaging must be delivered to the card production supplier before the cards arrive in stock. Options and costs are described in Card Packaging.
Stage 5: Friends & Family / Internal Testing
Controlled testing begins once cards and packaging are in stock. Wirex opens ordering for a list of selected users defined by the partner.
Before testing starts, the card order price and responsibility for the delivery fee must be agreed with Wirex commercial.
Recommended test coverage:
- Card ordering
- Card activation
- POS and eCommerce transactions
- ATM withdrawal
- Notification checks
- Balance validation
Allow approximately 1.5 weeks, including card delivery and testing. Full preconditions and the sign-off report are described in Pre-Launch Card Testing.
After successful testing the program proceeds to public go-live on the next day. If that day is a Friday, launch is scheduled for the following Monday.
Stage 6: Marketing & Public Launch
Marketing activities may begin after go-live approval, in compliance with Visa rules. Wirex provides onboarding documentation and brand usage guidance to support compliant promotion.
Before publishing any campaign, review Marketing Guide and confirm the target market in the Marketing Jurisdiction Matrix.
Ongoing Monitoring & Governance
After launch the program enters ongoing operational monitoring, which covers:
| Area | Monitored for |
|---|---|
| Transaction trends | Volume, value, and behavioural anomalies |
| Compliance screening | Sanctions and financial crime exposure |
| Stock levels | Card and packaging availability |
| Support trends | Volume and nature of customer issues |
| Performance vs forecasts | Delivery against agreed commercial projections |
| Dormancy | Share of inactive cards |
| Fraud and chargeback ratios | Scheme thresholds |
| Marketing compliance | Adherence to the marketing guide and scheme rules |
Updated 3 days ago