A gift card is simply prepaid balance attached to a code. When a brand issues one, the value is already funded — the code just tells the till who paid. That is why a card can be given away without the receiver ever entering payment details.

Prizew works with sponsor partners who fund cards in exchange for reach. You pick a brand, we mint a code from the funded pool, and a short sponsor step confirms you are a real person before the balance is released. It keeps the pool clean and keeps every card free.

Codes are single-use and region-locked: a £50 Tesco card will not redeem on a US account, and a 50€ Fnac card stays inside France. Always redeem in the region shown on the card, and add the balance to your account the same day — unclaimed codes cycle back into the pool after 24 hours.