Customer Loyalty in LATAM: Why Mexico and Brazil Diverge

Regional marketing strategies for Latin America are often built on a dangerous lie: the “average” LATAM consumer. This mythical creature is presumed to have a uniform appetite for digital apps and a baseline expectation for discounts. Senior executives looking at a regional dashboard might see steady growth and conclude their strategy is working.

But to treat these two titans as a single entity is to leave massive amounts of revenue on the table in both markets. While your regional dashboard might show LATAM in the green, it’s possible that your generic strategy is boring the Brazilian customer and insulting the Mexican one.

Loyalty Market Maturity in Brazil vs. Mexico

The data reveals a divergence in how these two markets engage with loyalty ecosystems. According to our own research, Brazil is currently experiencing a period of “loyalty exuberance”. The average Brazilian consumer is a member of 14 different programs — the highest participation rate observed across 15 countries.

With the explosion of the Pix payment system and integrated digital wallets, loyalty in Brazil has become a battle for visibility. If your brand isn’t woven into their daily digital lifestyle, you simply don’t exist.

Mexico, by contrast, is in a “value-refinement” phase, as we found out through the Wise Marketer research Comarch sponsored. While participation is high, Mexican consumers are more selective, averaging roughly 9.5 memberships per person. But here is the critical pivot: 83% of Mexican consumers are open to Pay-to-Play models — the willingness to pay an upfront fee to access guaranteed benefits.

This is the hallmark of a mature, pragmatic mindset. Mexican consumers understand the value of the exchange so well that they are willing to skip the “earn” entirely to get straight to the “burn”.

Brazil is a battle for visibility, Mexico is a battle for viability.

Economic Gravity

The financial stakes of this regional divergence are massive. Brazil’s loyalty sector is already a powerhouse of digital-first engagement, with loyalty programs alone generating R$5.8 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2025.

Mexico’s loyalty market is carving out its own formidable trajectory. Following a robust 18.5% CAGR between 2021 and 2025, the Mexican loyalty market is projected to reach US$1.67 billion by 2026. We are no longer looking at “emerging” regions, but established giants demanding distinct, data-driven playbooks.

Loyalty Psychology in LATAM

Let’s take a closer look at the diverging behavioral economics at play.

In Mexico, loyalty is a financial instrument. Approximately 59% of active participants are driven by pure monetary value. They view points through a lens of loss aversion: they have zero interest in “loose change” points that expire or offer abstract rewards. They want cash-adjacent value that hits their wallet immediately at the grocery checkout or pharmacy counter.

In Brazil, the focus is on ecosystem reciprocity. Brazilians are hyper-engaged with digital integration, favoring mobile wallets (49%) and social media contact points significantly more than global averages. For them, the poiny is a digital passport that moves between travel, retail, and banking seamlessly.

In Mexico, Loyalty is an Investment. In Brazil, It’s an Experience.

The Strategy: Arbitrage through Sequencing

Comarch’s philosophy for the region is surprisingly simple: Don't build two separate programs. Build one modular loyalty engine.

The maturity gap between these markets creates a unique strategic advantage for brands that know how to sequence their rollouts. Use Mexico as your sophisticated testing ground. Because Mexican consumers are so pragmatic and sensitive to the value lever, if a premium, paid-tier loyalty proposition can survive the scrutiny of the Mexican consumer, it has the gravity to dominate elsewhere.

Once you have refined your value proposition in Mexico, use Brazil as your scale engine. Take the logic that worked in Mexico and wrap it in Brazil’s high-velocity digital exuberance, leveraging gamification loops and social sharing to maintain engagement in a crowded market where consumers juggle 14+ memberships.

Technology must be the constant. The value lever must be the variable.

Bridging the Gap to 2026

We have only scratched the surface of the regional data. We haven’t yet discussed the 30/60/90-day “hazard zone” in the Mexican market, where nearly half of new members are lost if the first reward doesn't land quickly enough. Nor have we analyzed why the Silent Generation in Mexico is showing a surprising receptiveness to tech-driven utility.

Your regional strategy shouldn't be based on a LATAM “average” that doesn't exist. It’s time to bridge the gap between regional data and local revenue.

Download the full Mexico Customer Loyalty Report to see the complete data set and ensure your strategy is built for giants, not myths.