Fuel Cards Market

Market Overview

The global fuel cards market size was estimated to be valued at USD 723 Billion in 2022. It is forecast to reach USD 1.91 trillion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 11.4% during the forecast period (2023–2031). Fuel cards, also referred to as fleet cards, are payment cards used to manage various vehicle expenses, including upkeep, fueling, servicing, and other costs. Major oil companies and other specialized credit card providers offer fuel cards to give their clients and staff additional benefits and raise their market value. Transportation companies primarily use fuel cards to provide delivery and ride-sharing services. Fleet cards stand out because of the simple and thorough reporting that comes along with their use. Fleet cards allow fleet owners and managers to set purchase controls and receive real-time information, keeping them informed of all business-related spending.

Market Dynamics

Global Fuel Cards Market Drivers

Rising Adoption of Digital Transaction Solutions

Mobile frictionless payments are becoming increasingly popular, which is altering consumer behavior. Customers have come to anticipate a consistent experience across all points of contact during the shopping process as the cards and payments industry continues to embrace digitization and provide new creative features. For this reason, the need for fuel purchases that do not involve cash has been growing. These cards not only make it easier to make purchases without carrying cash, but they also offer added security and savings.

In addition, loyalty programs have been a driving force behind the rise in popularity of fuel cards, which allow for cashless fuel purchases. Gasoline card issuers make these reward programs available via partnerships with loyalty point aggregators and loyalty marketing platforms. As a result, the rising popularity of paperless gas station transactions is a significant factor in expanding the worldwide fuel card market.

Enhanced Data Capture Facilitates Effective Fleet Management

Fleet drivers often use fuel cards because of enhanced capabilities, including fleet expense tracking and management. It allows drivers to monitor their vehicles' mileage in real-time, which promotes market expansion. Additionally, fleet operators worldwide use fuel cards to control various operational costs, such as truck repairs, truck maintenance, truck cleaning, replacement of vehicle parts, rental of vehicles, and others. The market is also driven by the ability of fuel cards to maintain various information, including fuel grades, odometer readings, fuel products, fuel quantities, driver, vehicle identification numbers, and tax information. It also gives the fleet manager transactional information, such as the location, time, cost, and date. This is considered a key element in the market growth for fuel cards over the anticipated period.

Global Fuel Cards Market Restraints

Insufficient Security Measures

The market for fuel cards is significantly constrained by the rising risk of being compromised by unauthorized access. Due to fraudulent transactions, card misuse, fuel card skimming, and other issues, fleet operators suffer significant losses yearly. Fuel cards make it simple for fleet managers and automobile owners to keep track of costs associated with their vehicles, including fuel costs and maintenance services at gas pumps and service facilities. However, fuel cards are also vulnerable to abuse and fraud like other payment cards. As a result, there are problems with data security and privacy in the gasoline card sector, which tend to affect the profitability of vehicle fleet managers in particular.

Global Fuel Cards Market Opportunities

Growing Demand from Developing Nations and Technological Advancements

The market for cutting-edge goods and payment solutions is expanding due to unmet demands and a rise in demand for better transactional solutions in countries like China, Japan, and Australia. In addition, the fuel card market has also seen a tremendous shift in recent years. This can be partially explained by the growing use of digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT). The companies selling gas cards are improving the customer experience through analytics-based personalization. These competitors have used mobile apps and online channels to increase customer service and attract new clients. Additionally, fuel card providers have been focusing on integrating telematics interfaces and better reporting tools based on the collected data to increase fleet management's effectiveness.

Regional Analysis

The global fuel cards market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Europe Dominates the Global Market

Europe is the most significant global fuel card market shareholder and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.2% during the forecast period. The fuel card market is analyzed in the UK, France, Germany, and the rest of Europe, depending on the type and application. Some key factors influencing the market's expansion in Europe include an increase in prepaid cards, increased acceptance of fuel cards, and the availability of advanced products with improved security. The region has also benefited from adopting fuel cards due to the demand for fuel-saving initiatives and the need for better transport management.

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.2% during the forecast period. The Asia-Pacific fuel card market analysis includes China, Japan, India, and other nations. Due to the increased use of branded fuel cards, technological advancements, and untapped markets in nations like China, India, and Japan, these countries exhibit a higher adoption rate. The Asia-Pacific fuel card market is highly advantageous due to an increase in the number of smart transportation options in the area and the technological integration of prepaid cards. Leading companies like WEX Inc., Engen, ExxonMobil, First National Bank, FleetCor, Oilibya, Puma Energy, and Royal Dutch Shell concentrate on the Asia-Pacific region to grow their businesses because it is predicted that fleet card solutions will experience significant growth in this region.

North America is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. It is one of the largest markets for fuel cards because of the rising number of cutting-edge strategies introduced by Fintech players, the early adoption of fuel cards by end-users, and the significant presence of industry players. Implementing fuel cards allows business owners to learn important information about their fleet and enjoy cost-saving advantages, which increases demand for fuel cards across all industry verticals to manage drivers and fleets in this region.

The LAMEA fuel card market is anticipated to be driven by increased economic growth and expanded opportunities for market penetration. Fuel card market growth is driven by rising branded fuel card adoption and rising prepaid card penetration among end users keen to maximize fuel savings. Due to the advancement of transportation and smart logistics, which will further fuel market growth, this region is anticipated to experience a favorable growth rate during the forecast period. Major players are also concentrating on the development of the market in this area.

Segmental Analysis

The global fuel cards market is segmented by card type and application.

Based on card type, the global market is bifurcated into branded, universal, and merchant.

The universal segment is the highest contributor to the market during the forecast period. In order to efficiently conduct business processes related to transportation, universal fuel cards make the payment of fleet expenses possible. Millions of people use these fuel cards more frequently to monitor their fuel usage. Additionally, the features of this fuel card, which include expense reports, an instant accounting function, and other effective money-saving tools, assist individuals in managing and controlling their fuel expenses. It provides added services, including a telematics interface service and reports on purchasing activity.

The fuel card ecosystem includes branded cards, which a company issues specifically for a given brand. These branded fuel cards can only be used at places connected to the brand. They encourage utilizing their branded fuel card in private enterprises and government agencies by improving security capabilities.

Based on applications, the global market is bifurcated into fuel refill, parking, vehicle service, and toll charge.

The fuel refill segment owns the significant market share during the forecast period. All types of cards used to purchase fuel are included in the segment for fuel refills. End-users use fuel cards to optimize costs while managing their fuel expenses. Additionally, several transport vehicle owners use fuel cards to identify and minimize the number of driver fraudulence activities. Further, the use of fuel cards is growing for fuel refills due to the variety of features they offer to vehicle owners, including convenient fuel bill payment, receipt of digital invoices, and tracking of fuel purchases.

Fuel cards are used to track various costs associated with vehicle maintenance and are a part of the vehicle service segment. Fuel cards assist in paying the bill for different vehicle maintenance procedures, including changing the engine oil, replacing the oil filter, inspecting the brakes, testing the batteries, and others. The market is also driven by an increase in the use of fuel cards among consumers due to the numerous promotions and advantages offered by fuel card providers.

Based on end-users, the global market is bifurcated into sole traders, SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises), and large enterprise.

Sole traders, often individual business owners or freelancers, use fuel cards to manage their vehicle-related expenses efficiently. SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises) incorporate these cards to streamline fleet management, achieve cost savings, and benefit from detailed expense reports. Meanwhile, larger enterprises employ fuel cards to oversee extensive fleets across vast regions, leveraging the advantages of bulk purchasing, standardized reporting, and enhanced expenditure control. Each segment, from solo professionals to large corporations, harnesses fuel cards to optimize fuel-related operations.

Recent Developments

• October 2022- Aral and LOGPAY expanded the fuel card business in Germany. LOGPAY customers can now pay with their CHARGE&FUEL card at any of Aral's 2,400 service stations in Germany. In addition, both companies intend to collaborate on the LOGPAY Pay@Pump solution MOBILE FUELING to enable digital payment via the CHARGE&FUEL app directly at the pump.