A blockchain-based multi-merchant loyalty point partnership system may include a blockchain API host that receives a request to create a partnership smart contract for a multi-merchant loyalty point partnership. The request may specify various partnership parameters to include in the partnership smart contract. The blockchain API host may create the partnership smart contract and write the partnership smart contract to a blockchain. One or more qualified merchants may join the partnership smart contract to make the partnership active. In response to a customer completing a plurality of purchases that complete the partnership parameters of the partnership smart contract, the system may issue the customer a purchase reward which may include a loyalty point payout.

A rewards management system is configured to facilitate the redemption of loyalty benefits at a financial institution and apply credits, payments, debits, and/or the like associated with the loyalty benefit to transactions that are characterized by a set of predetermined rules (e.g. an item purchased during a particular transaction, the merchant from whom the transaction originated, the vendor who manufactured the item). The system provides real-time management of the loyalty account so that the loyalty benefit can be used to offset the liability associated with a particular eligible transaction. The system may also be configured to allow a user to satisfy various obligations to the financial institution (e.g. a minimum payment associated with a statement from a transactions account). As such, the system allows the loyalty account provider or the financial institution to provide a customizable rewards program that allows loyalty benefits to be used for any type of transaction.

A method for handling cashless payments with a payment instrument, which includes receiving an order to carry out a cashless payment with a payment instrument, reading out the identifier of this payment instrument, generating a secondary identifier by modifying the identifier of the payment instrument using a hash function, establishing communication with a receiver of a central trade transactions carrying out system, transmitting the generated secondary identifier to the receiver of the central trade transactions carrying out system in order to check whether any material benefit appertains to the customer, receiving information from the central trade transactions carrying out system about the material benefit granted to the customer, authorizing the transaction, and charging the customer's account including the material benefit granted in the previous step. Also provided is a system for handling cashless payments with a payment instrument, and a device for handling cashless payments.

Methods and systems for regulating generation of units according to at least one encryption technique associated with a blockchain are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system includes a communication device configured to communicate with a computing device executing an application and a processor configured to execute instructions to perform operations. The operations include receiving transaction information describing a transaction; based on the transaction, determining product awards for at least one product awards program for the transaction; using the blockchain, determining a real-time conversion rate for the transaction, where the real-time conversion rate is regulated by the at least one encryption technique; based on the real-time conversion rate, converting the product awards to units; and entering into the blockchain encrypted data associated with the transaction, wherein the encrypted data is encrypted according to the at least one encryption technique.

Loyalty programs can be operated within a payment processing system having multiple vendors, thereby providing access to detailed transaction data and with the flexibility for customization of the loyalty programs themselves, by establishing a communication for the transfer of data via a customer-facing channel. When the payment processing system processes a transaction between a merchant and an account holder, in addition to obtaining payment for the merchant from the account via an acquirer and an issuer, respectively, a transaction handler tabulates and stores different types of loyalty currencies in a loyalty reward account associated with the account holder if the account holder is enrolled in a loyalty program and criteria for applying the loyalty program are satisfied. The account holder is provided access to the loyalty account via the customer-facing channel.

A mobile rewards real-time redemption system allows members of programs to use a mobile rewards redemption application via their mobile device to redeem currency or points. A ghost credit/debit vehicle (account) is used to redeem the rewards currency or points. The ghost card completes the financial transaction which is, from the perspective of a redemption retailer, a conventional card transaction.

An online platform generates a playlist of clips of a lecture accessed by a plurality of users of the online platform. The online platform receives a recording of the lecture, and receives a plurality of events captured during a time period corresponding to the lecture. Each captured event is associated with a time stamp corresponding to a time at which a user performed an activity while listening to the lecture. The online platform clusters the captured events based on the time stamps, and generates one or more clips of the recording of the lecture from the clustered events. The online platform generates a playlist including the clips of the lecture.

A computer-implemented integrated loyalty points management system and method includes a plurality of affiliate servers, an integrated loyalty points management server, and a loyalty pool. The affiliate servers may process purchases of loyalty points for issuing to customers. Loyalty points may be integrated loyalty points, which are issued by each of the affiliates for a purchase or purchases made by a customer. Any of the affiliate servers may process redemption of loyalty points by customers for goods, services, or money. The affiliate server may communicate with the integrated loyalty points management server and the loyalty pool to exchange redeemed loyalty points for cash.

A computer-implemented integrated loyalty points and non-integrated loyalty points management system and method includes a plurality of affiliate servers, an integrated management server, and a loyalty pool. The affiliate servers may process purchases of loyalty points for issuing to customers. Loyalty points may be integrated loyalty points or non-integrated loyalty points, which are issued by each of the affiliates for a purchase or purchases made by a customer. Any of the affiliate servers may process redemption of loyalty points by customers for goods, services, or money. The affiliate server may communicate with the integrated management server and the loyalty pool to exchange redeemed loyalty points for cash.

A method to control advertising messages directed at a user is provided. Such control might include setting a filter to control advertisements directed at a user. Advertisements are sent to a user based on the filter settings. The user may accept the advertisements. If the user accepts the advertisements, the user is provided with a reward. In addition, a method using a quiz to determine if a user is human or an automated respondent is provided. The user is presented with a quiz. The user is advised of the acceptable manner for responding to the quiz. The user's response to the quiz is received. A determination based on the user's response as to whether the user is a human or an automated respondent is made.